Weight perception and psychological factors in Chinese adolescents.

PURPOSE: To investigate the pattern of weight perception and its relationship with psychological distress among Chinese adolescents. METHODS: A sub-cohort of 2179 healthy Chinese adolescents randomly selected from schools in Wuhan, China, including 1156 boys and 1023 girls 11 to 15 years of age was included in the current study. Weight, height, self-perceptions of weight status, depressive psychological symptoms including anxiety, depression, perceived peer isolation, and other constructs were measured by a structured questionnaire. A General Linear Model was used to compare psychological differences between actual and perceived weight groups. RESULTS: Perceived underweight was more likely to occur in boys, whereas perceived overweight was more likely to occur in girls. Compared with objective body weight status defined by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) age- and gender-specific body mass index (BMI) cutoffs, girls were more likely to misperceive themselves as overweight, whereas relatively more boys misclassified their weight status as underweight. After adjusting for age, parents' educational attainment, and urban residence, perceived overweight boys and girls were more likely to experience anxiety and depression than perceived normal and underweight subjects (p <.05). Perceived overweight girls and perceived underweight boys experienced higher peer isolation than other groups (p <.05). Significant differences were not found in social support, school connectedness, trouble with teachers, and family disharmony among different weight-perception groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested distortion of weight perception was prevalent, and may have detrimental psychological influences in Chinese adolescents.     

Weight perception, academic performance, and psychological factors in Chinese adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To investigate weight perception and related psychological factors in Chinese adolescents. METHODS: A questionnaire on weight perception, academic performance, stress, hostility, and depression was completed by 6863 middle and high school students. Weight and height were measured. RESULTS: Overweight perception was related to school-related stress and depression in both girls and boys (P<0.01) and to hostility in boys (P<0.01). Perceived over-weight was related to lower GPA in girls only (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Distorted weight perception has a detrimental psychological impact on Chinese adolescents. These findings may contribute to the obesity research and to the development of future effective intervention programs in China.     

Weight status and weight-related behaviors of children commencing school

ObjectiveTo describe the weight status and weight-related behaviors of children commencing school.MethodsThis study is a representative cross-sectional survey of Australian children in their first year of schooling (n = 1141) in 2010. Height and weight were measured, and parents reported their child's diet, physical activity and screen-time.Results18.7% of children were overweight/obese. Compared with non-overweight/obese peers, overweight/obese boys were 1.73 times (95% CI 1.08, 2.79) as likely to exceed recommended screen time and 2.07 times (95% CI 1.11, 3.87) as likely to eat dinner three or more times/week in front of the TV. Overweight/obese girls were twice as likely to have a TV in their bedroom (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.12, 3.59) and usually be rewarded with sweets for good behavior (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.09, 3.51) and were 1.65 times as likely to be inactive (95% CI 1.08, 2.55).ConclusionWe showed that many children begin school with established weight-related behaviors that occur in the home environment. The inclusion of parents and the home environment in intervention strategies will be important to support changes to reduce childhood obesity. The weight status and weight-related behaviors of children entering school may potentially be a general indicator of the overall effectiveness of obesity prevention interventions among preschool-aged children.     

Food and weight-related patterns and behaviors of Hmong adolescents

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the food and weight-related behaviors of Hmong adolescents. This study assessed these behaviors in Hmong adolescents and determined if they differed between Hmong and white teens or by country of birth. DESIGN: School-based cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS/SETTING: Hmong (n=649) and white (n=2,260) adolescents from 31 public middle and high schools in the Minneapolis/St Paul, MN, metropolitan area who participated in Project EAT (Eating Among Teens). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Family meals, grocery shopping, and meal preparation; consumption of breakfast, snacks, and fast foods, physical activity and inactivity; body satisfaction, weight concern, body mass index, and weight-control behaviors. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Variables were compared across race/ethnicity and by country of birth using chi(2) tests and general linear model regression. RESULTS: Hmong students reported greater participation in family meals and more involvement with food purchasing and preparation. Fast-food consumption was similar among groups. Hmong teens reported less frequent breakfast consumption. The prevalence of overweight was higher in Hmong male adolescents than white male adolescents, but similar among female adolescents. Hmong students reported higher levels of weight concern, body dissatisfaction, dieting, unhealthful weight-control behaviors, less physical activity, and more inactivity than white students. Hmong male adolescents participated in extreme unhealthful weight-control behaviors four times more often than white male adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Hmong adolescents appear to be at increased risk for obesity, body dissatisfaction, and unhealthful weight-control behaviors compared to white adolescents. There is a need for culturally tailored interventions to address these nutrition and weight issues among Hmong adolescents.     

Binge eating and weight-related quality of life in obese adolescents

Limited data exist regarding the association between binge eating and quality of life (QOL) in obese adolescent girls and boys. We, therefore, studied binge eating and QOL in 158 obese (BMI ≥ 95th percentile) adolescents (14.5 ± 1.4 years, 68.0% female, 59% African-American) prior to weight-loss treatment. Youth completed an interview to assess binge eating and a questionnaire measure of QOL. Controlling for body composition, binge eating youth (n = 35), overall, reported poorer QOL in domains of health, mobility, and self-esteem compared to those without binge eating (ps < 0.05). Also, girls, overall, reported poorer QOL than boys in activities of daily-living, mobility, self-esteem, and social/interpersonal functioning (ps < 0.05). Girls with binge eating reported the greatest impairments in activities of daily living, mobility, self-esteem, social/interpersonal functioning, and work/school QOL (ps < 0.05). Among treatment-seeking obese adolescents, binge eating appears to be a marker of QOL impairment, especially among girls. Prospective and treatment designs are needed to explore the directional relationship between binge eating and QOL and their impact on weight outcomes.     

Internalization of the sociocultural ideal: weight-related attitudes and dieting behaviors among young adolescent girls

Questionnaires returned from 234 fifth and sixth graders from 24 Girl Scout Troops in the Midwest showed that 29.3% of all girls and 68.7% of those who were dieting thought they were overweight. Most of those who were trying to lose weight were using healthy methods, but a few were using dangerous methods. Very few were unhappy with their weight, shape, and various body parts. Most appeared to be aware of the influence of media on body image and were accepting of a wide range of body shapes and sizes among themselves and their friends.     

重庆市某主城区中小学生体型自我评价及影响因素分析

了解重庆市某主城区中小学生体型自我评价与实际体质量指数(body mass index,BMI)评价的一致性及其影响因素,为有效实施儿童青少年肥胖健康教育及心理干预,预防和控制青少年肥胖提供科学依据.方法 采用分层整群抽样的方法,抽取重庆市某主城区8所中小学共2 798名学生进行中小学生肥胖相关KAP问卷调查和体格检查.结果 该区中小学生的超重肥胖检出率为22.9%,男生超重肥胖检出率(27.6%)明显高于女生(17.8%) (X2 =24.210,P<0.01).30.5%的中小学生不能正确评价自己的体型,小学生(Kappa=0.418)和中学生(Kappa =0.403)体型自我评价与实际BMI的一致性均较差.多因素Logistic回归分析显示,男生(OR=1.497,95%CI=1.239~1.809)、父亲文化程度高(OR=2.855,95% CI=1.053 ~ 7.741)和家庭经济差(OR=1.827,95%CI=1.340~2.492)是学生低估自我体型的危险因素;中学(OR=1.932,95%CI=1.411 ~ 2.646)、女生(OR=2.558,95%CI=1.854~3.531)、家庭经济状况差(OR=1.967,95%CI=1.131~3.422)、家庭关系差(OR=2.468,95%CI=1.324~4.600)与一般(OR=1.378,95%CI=1.003~ 1.894)是学生自我体型高估的危险因素.结论 重庆市某主城区学生超重肥胖检出率较高,且学生对自我体型存在低估或高估,性别和家庭经济状况是可能导致体型评价错误的影响因素.     

Self-perception of body weight, weight management practices and goals, and other weight-related factors in central and eastern European adolescents

Self-perception of body weight, management practices and goals, and other weight-related factors were assessed among a sample of 2,566 adolescents from 30 high schools in Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, and Poland. Students who perceived themselves as much too fat were more likely than those with other weight perceptions to engage in weight management practices to lose weight, have higher body mass index, rate themselves lower on physical attractiveness, and estimate higher percentages of their same-sex friends as trying to lose weight. Similar to other research, boys and girls differed on self-perception of weight and other weight-related factors. Cross-cultural comparisons between central and eastern European adolescents and U.S. adolescents, as well as east and southeast Asian youth are made. Implications for health education practice are discussed.     

Social, familial, and behavioral risk factors for obesity in adolescents]

OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of different social, familial, and behavioral factors on the risk of developing obesity in adolescents. METHODS: We performed a case-control study nested in a population-based cohort that was followed from birth in 1982. Cases were adolescents with obesity, as defined by the World Health Organization. Controls came from a randomly chosen sample of members of the cohort, examined in 1997 and 1998. Information concerning risk factors was obtained from cohort records that were collected at different ages. Multivariate analysis was carried out using logistic regression. RESULTS: Risk factors varied according to sex. Among boys, a family income at birth above one minimum wage was associated with a six-fold increase in obesity, and the presence of trait anxiety in adolescence with a four-fold increase. In both sexes, a one-unit increase in pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index was associated with a 10% increase in obesity. Smoking, fat consumption, time spent watching television or performing physical activity, and concurrent maternal weight were not associated with obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that it is important to stratify data from obesity studies according to sex. In addition, early-life factors were more strongly associated with obesity than factors present during adolescence. However, the possibility of reporting bias cannot be ruled out, especially in terms of the information provided on diet and physical exercise. Whenever possible, the study of concurrent risk factors for obesity in adolescence should take into account the confounding effect of early-life factors.     

Prevalence and factors associated with behavioral disorders in adolescents: a population-based study

This study proposed to estimate the prevalence of behavioral disorders and associated factors in adolescents (11-15 years), using a cross-sectional design (n = 1,145). Subjects answered a self-administered questionnaire. Behavioral disorder was assessed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). The study analyzed disorders in relation to gender, age, socioeconomic status, schooling, failure in school, religion, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, alcohol consumption, drug use, depression, and bullying (as victim). Ordinal regression was used for the statistical analysis, with a hierarchical model for the outcome. An estimated 29.2% of the sample presented behavioral disorders. In the multivariate analysis, the odds ratio for a male adolescent to present one additional point on the behavioral disorder scale was 2.04 (95%CI: 1.53-2.71). Alcohol consumption, drug use, and suffering bullying were associated with higher scores on the behavioral disorder scale. The findings also showed that the factors associated with behavioral disorder showed a strong interrelationship between health behaviors in adolescence.     

Tanning and risk perception in adolescents

Skin cancer is a rapidly increasing cancer form in many countries, and tanning is considered to be an etiologic factor of this type of cancer. Tanning is a type of risky behaviour, which has been found to be hard to change, particularly in the groups where it is most risky (children and adolescents). Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV), protective behaviour and risk perception with regard to tanning were investigated with a postal questionnaire in a large representative sample of Swedish teenagers 13, 15 and 17 years old (n?=?2615). Risky behaviour was most prevalent among girls and older respondents, in spite of their greater awareness of the risks, and the general female tendency towards risk avoidance. Cosmetic and social motives seemed to drive this type of risk taking behaviour. Comparisons of perceived personal risks of tanning and risks to other people as well as perceived control over the risks, showed personal risks to be perceived as smaller than risks to others, and perceived control to be an important factor in this form of unrealistic optimism. Although people may have more or less valid perceptions of the risks to others, they tend to have overly optimistic views of their personal risks when it comes to tanning. Risk communication is particularly difficult in cases like this. The problem of stimulating more prudent behaviour in teenagers with regard to tanning is discussed.     

Cigarette smoking, life stress, and behavioral problems in Chinese adolescents.

This study investigated a sample of 1360 Chinese adolescents. About 31% of boys and 3.7% of girls reported ever smoking. Smokers experienced more life stress than nonsmokers. Smoking was associated with increased risk for internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems, but the association was markedly reduced after controlling for life stress     

Relationships between body satisfaction and psychological functioning and weight-related cognitions and behaviors in overweight adolescents

PurposeTo examine how differences in body satisfaction may influence weight control behaviors, eating, weight and shape concerns, and psychological well-being among overweight adolescents.MethodsA group of 103 overweight adolescents completed a survey assessing body satisfaction, weight control behaviors, eating-related thoughts and behaviors, importance placed on thinness, self-esteem, anger, and symptoms of depression and anxiety between 2004 and 2006. Logistic regression analyses compared overweight adolescents with high and low body satisfaction.ResultsHigher body satisfaction was associated with a lower likelihood of engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors, less frequent fears of losing control over eating, and less importance placed on thinness. Overweight adolescents with higher body satisfaction reported higher levels of self-esteem and were less likely to endorse symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anger than overweight adolescents with lower body satisfaction.ConclusionsAdolescents with higher body satisfaction may be protected against the negative behavioral and psychological factors associated with overweight.     

少年儿童行为问题与家庭、学校因素关系

目的 了解合肥市城区儿童少年行为问题的现状，分析儿童少年行为问题与家庭及学校社会环境因素的关系。方法采用Achenbach儿童行为量表（家长用表）对合肥市6～18岁的1978名儿童少年及其家庭和学校环境因素进行调查，并用SPSS软件进行统计分析。结果检出有行为问题的儿童少年194名，检出率为9．8％。其中中学组检出率为10．5％，小学组为8．7％；男生检出率为10．1％，女生为9．4％，中、小学及男、女生间行为问题检出率差异无统计学意义。检出率较高的行为是分裂样、交往不良、攻击性、违纪、多动等。影响儿童少年行为问题的家庭危险因素主要有：单亲抚养，家庭中其他孩子有行为、学业问题，父母有心理问题，家庭氛围差，家长对孩子学业不满意等；学校危险因素主要为：不喜欢上学、与同学关系不融洽、与成人相处有问题、孩子完成作业有困难等。结论家庭和学校环境中的多种因素与儿童少年行为问题相关。     

Weight change in relation to natural menopause and other reproductive and behavioral factors in Japanese women

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of menopause on weight change in Japanese women. METHODS: Community-based sample of 828 Japanese women who were premenopausal and aged 40 to 54 years completed a self-administered questionnaire asking information on demographic factors, body size, reproductive history and dietary and behavioral factors in 1992. They responded to a follow-up questionnaire asking weight and menopausal status in 1998. RESULTS: Women gained weight modestly, on average, 0.17 kg during the 6-year study period. Weight gain was significantly higher in women who remained premenopausal at follow-up than those who had natural menopause during the study period. Weight gain was significantly associated with early menarche in women who had natural menopause and with high parity in women remained premenopausal. CONCLUSION: Reproductive factors rather than sociodemographic and behavioral factors appeared to be associated with weight change during the perimenopausal period. Onset of menopause may diminish weight gain. In contrast, early menarche and high parity showed relationships with weight gain.     

Secular trends in weight status and weight-related attitudes and behaviors in adolescents from 1999 to 2010

Objective

To examine secular trends from 1999 to 2010 in weight status and weight-related attitudes and behaviors among adolescents.

Methods

A repeated cross-sectional design was used. Participants were from Minneapolis/St. Paul middle schools and high schools and included 3072 adolescents in 1999 (mean age14.6 ± 1.8) and 2793 adolescents in 2010 (mean age14.4 ± 2.0). Trends in weight-related variables were examined using inverse probability weighting to control for changes in socio-demographics over time.

Results

The prevalence of obesity among boys increased by 7.8% from 1999 to 2010, with large ethnic/racial disparities. In black boys the prevalence of obesity increased from 14.4% to 21.5% and among Hispanic boys, obesity prevalence increased from 19.7% to 33.6%. Trends were more positive among girls: weight status did not significantly increase, perceptions of overweight status were more accurate, the use of healthy weight control behaviors remained high, dieting decreased by 6.7%, unhealthy weight control behaviors decreased by 8.2% and extreme weight control behaviors decreased by 4.5%.

Conclusions

Trends indicate a need to intensify efforts to prevent obesity and other weight-related problems, particularly for boys from ethnic/racial minorities. The decreases in unhealthy weight control behaviors among girls are encouraging.     

杭州市中学生慢性病相关健康危险行为分析

了解杭州市青少年主要慢性病相关健康危险行为的流行特征,为制定有针对性的杭州市青少年慢性病行为干预策略提供依据.方法 采用二阶段分层整群抽样的方法,抽取杭州市27所初中和18所高中的2 600名学生进行问卷调查.结果 杭州市青少年每天活动<60 min的比例为85.4%,周一至周五每天看电视多于1h占35.5%,过去30 d不是每天吃早餐的比例为35.7%,每天吃水果<1次的比例为27.6%,吃蔬菜<1次/d的比例为6.2%,吸烟占6.6%.仅5.0%的青少年没有上述任意1种危险行为,同时具有1~2种的占66.1%,≥3种占28.9%.结论 杭州市青少年存在 体力活动缺乏、不健康饮食和吸烟等多种健康危险行为,需要开展多因素联合行为干预.     

中国青少年不良饮食行为及影响因素分析

目的 了解我国青少年不良饮食行为情况和影响因素,为采取针对性的营养干预措施提供科学依据。方法 采用中国教育追踪调查2014—2015学年的追踪数据共10 750名八年级学生进行分析。数据分析组间比较选择χ2 检验,不良饮食行为的影响因素分析采用多元logistic回归模型。结果 青少年经常或总是饮用含糖/碳酸饮料的报告率为21.36%,而经常或总是食用油炸/烧烤食品的报告率为14.60%。多因素logistic回归分析结果显示,青少年含糖/碳酸饮料消费行为的危险因素包括家庭经济情况（富裕:OR = 1.538,95%CI: 1.258～1.882,P＜0.001）、父亲经常醉酒（OR = 1.530,95%CI: 1.308～1.789,P＜0.001）、母亲的受教育水平（初中或高中:OR = 1.237,95%CI: 1.076～1.422,P＜0.01）、父亲的受教育水平（初中或高中:OR = 1.189,95%CI: 1.011～1.397,P＜0.05）、与朋友外出运动、看电影（一年或半年一次:OR = 1.146,95%CI: 1.016～1.294,P＜0.05; 每月或每周一次:OR = 1.786,95%CI: 1.562～2.043,P＜0.001;每周一次以上:OR = 2.327,95%CI: 1.791～3.024,P＜0.001）;保护因素包括女性（OR = 0.746,95%CI: 0.672～0.829,P＜0.001）、与父母吃晚饭（一年或半年一次:OR = 0.601,95%CI: 0.412～0.878,P＜0.01;每周一次以上:OR = 0.696,95%CI: 0.495～0.979,P＜0.05）、自评整体健康情况（一般:OR = 0.783,95%CI: 0.641～0.956,P＜0.05;比较好/很好:OR = 0.652,95%CI: 0.539～0.790,P＜0.001）。青少年油炸/烧烤食品消费行为的危险因素包括女性（OR = 1.187,95%CI: 1.054～1.335,P＜0.01）、家庭经济情况（富裕:OR = 1.377,95%CI: 1.093～1.735,P＜0.01）、父亲经常醉酒（OR = 1.684,95%CI: 1.417～2.001,P＜0.001）、与朋友外出运动、看电影（每月或每周一次:OR = 1.706, 95%CI: 1.454～2.001, P＜0.001;每周一次以上:OR = 2.783,95%CI: 2.126～3.644,P＜0.001）;保护因素包括与父母吃晚饭（每周一次以上:OR = 0.673,95%CI: 0.461～0.981,P＜0.05）、自评整体健康情况（一般:OR = 0.788,95%CI: 0.634～0.980,P＜0.05,比较好/很好:OR = 0.579,95%CI: 0.469～0.714,P＜0.001）。结论 青少年不良饮食行为不仅受到个体因素影响,还与一系列家庭或社会因素密切相关。家庭、学校以及青少年本人应该多方合作,实施综合干预,提高青少年健康素养并促进其养成健康饮食习惯。