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Has the adolescents' weight concern increased over 20 years?
Riittakerttu Kaltiala-Heino1, Susanna Kautiainen, Suvi M Virtanen
1Tampere School of Public Health, University of Tampere, Finland. merihe@uta.fi
European Journal of Public Health
|April 8, 2003
Summary
Adolescent concerns about being overweight decreased from the 1970s to the 1990s, despite weight gain. This suggests teens increasingly compare themselves to peers rather than cultural ideals.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Health
- Public Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Adolescent perceptions of weight have shifted over time.
- Understanding weight concerns in youth is crucial for public health.
- Historical trends in adolescent body image require investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess changes in perceived overweight among adolescents (12-18 years) from the late 1970s to the late 1990s.
- To examine the relationship between self-reported weight and weight concerns in different age groups and genders.
- To analyze temporal changes in the association between weight perception and concern.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey (1979-1999).
- Included a nationally representative sample of 26,700 girls and 23,346 boys aged 12-18 years.
- Collected self-reported data on weight, height, and weight satisfaction.
Main Results:
- Girls reported higher concerns about being overweight compared to boys.
- The proportion of adolescents perceiving themselves as overweight decreased over time.
- This decrease was observed in both overweight and normal-weight adolescents.
Conclusions:
- Adolescents are less concerned about being overweight now than in previous decades, despite potential weight gain.
- Peer comparison appears to be a more significant factor than broad cultural ideals in shaping adolescent weight concerns.
- Shifting social norms and peer influences may explain the observed decrease in weight concerns.