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Weight status and weight-control exercise in adolescents: A longitudinal population-based study
Sasha Gorrell1, Elizabeth K Hughes2, George C Patton3
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Eating Behaviors
|April 19, 2023
Summary
Adolescent weight-control exercise is common, especially in females. Overweight or obesity history increases exercise odds in both genders, particularly in boys, suggesting a fluid definition of excessive exercise.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent health
- Eating disorder research
- Exercise science
Background:
- Excessive exercise is a key feature of eating disorders, but definitions vary.
- Understanding weight-control exercise drivers in adolescents is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine population prevalence of weight-control exercise in adolescents.
- To examine gender and weight status as determinants of weight-control exercise.
- To assess the link between early weight status and later exercise behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal cohort study of 6329 adolescents (Longitudinal Study of Australian Children).
- Weight and height measured at 10-11 and 14-15 years.
- Weight-control exercise assessed at 14-15 years using the Branched Eating Disorders Test.
Main Results:
- 49% of adolescents reported weight-control exercise (55% of females).
- Overweight or obesity (OVOB) history at 10-11 years doubled the odds of weight-control exercise at 14-15 years in boys, and increased it by ~1.5 times in girls.
- Higher OVOB history correlated with increased weight-control exercise across all levels, most strongly in boys.
Conclusions:
- Weight-control exercise is prevalent in adolescents, with higher rates linked to overweight or obesity history.
- Gender and weight status significantly influence weight-control exercise behaviors.
- A flexible definition of excessive weight-control exercise, considering gender and weight status, is needed to identify at-risk youth.
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