The weight-conscious adolescent:: Body image, food intake, and weight-related behavior

Purpose: To explore how adolescents who try to lose weight differ from those who do not in relation to body image, food intake, knowledge about food, and sources of information about food, nutrition, and weight loss.

Methods: Data were collected from 12–15-year-old school students in North Queensland, Australia by questionnaire.

Results: Boys who attempted weight loss reduced sweet foods and snacks, while concurrently increasing healthy foods such as fruit, yogurt, and low-fat milk. Girls who attempted weight loss ate breakfast, lunch, snacks, milk, bread, meat, and many sweet and fatty foods less often than other girls. Some reduction in meals, snacks, core foods, and sweet fatty foods, but not savory fatty foods, remained after the weight loss attempt. Boys attempting weight loss had better knowledge about high-fat and high-sugar foods than other boys, but there was no difference for girls. Girls attempting weight loss were more likely than other girls to think that core foods such as bread, potatoes, and dairy products should be reduced, whereas boys were more likely to think that sweet foods should be reduced. The majority of students who had attempted weight loss during the previous year considered themselves overweight, while few weight-conscious students were satisfied with their bodies.

Conclusions: The weight-conscious adolescents in this study, especially the girls, exhibited restrictive eating practices and a preoccupation with a slim image. Adolescents need a food culture based on foods to eat rather than foods to avoid, and an understanding of suitable weight-control measures.