Jess Haines

Weight Teasing and Disordered Eating Behaviors in Adolescents: Longitudinal Findings From Project EAT (Eating Among Teens)

OBJECTIVE. To assess whether weight-related teasing predicts the development of binge eating, unhealthy weight control behaviors, and frequent dieting among male and female adolescents. METHODS. A prospective study was conducted with an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 2516 adolescents who completed surveys at both time 1 (1998–1999) and time 2 (2003–2004) of the Project EAT (Eating Among Teens) study. RESULTS. In 1998–1999, approximately one fourth of participants reported being teased about their weight at least a few times a year. After adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and BMI, boys who were teased about their weight were more likely than their peers to initiate binge eating with loss of control and unhealthy weight control behaviors 5 years later. The predicted prevalence for incident binge eating behaviors with loss of control among boys who were teased was 4.1% as compared with 1.4% for those who were not teased, after adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, SES, and BMI. For unhealthy weight control behaviors at time 2, the predicted prevalence was 27.5% among boys who were teased and 19.3% for boys who were not teased, after adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, SES, and BMI. Girls who were teased were more likely than their peers to become frequent dieters. The predicted prevalence for incident frequent dieting among girls who were teased was 18.2% as compared with 11.0% for those who were not teased, after adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, SES, and BMI. CONCLUSIONS. Weight teasing in adolescence predicts disordered eating behaviors at 5-year follow-up. The patterns of these associations differ by gender. Reducing teasing through educational interventions and policies may reduce the level of disordered eating behaviors among youths.

Personal, Behavioral, and Environmental Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent Overweight

Objective: The objective was to examine a breadth of personal, behavioral, and socio‐environmental factors as potential risk and protective factors of overweight among male and female adolescents.

Is Dieting Advice From Magazines Helpful or Harmful? Five-Year Associations With Weight-Control Behaviors and Psychological Outcomes in Adolescents

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between frequent reading of magazine articles about dieting/weight loss and weight-control behaviors and psychological outcomes 5 years later in a sample of adolescents. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS. Data are from Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), a 5-year longitudinal study of eating, activity, weight, and related variables in 2516 middle and high school students. In 1999 (time 1), participants completed surveys and had their height and weight measured. In 2004 (time 2), participants were resurveyed. RESULTS. For female adolescents, the frequency of healthy, unhealthy, and extreme weight-control behaviors increased with increasing magazine reading after adjusting for time 1 weight-control behaviors, weight importance, BMI, and demographic covariates. The odds of engaging in unhealthy weight-control behaviors (such as fasting, skipping meals, and smoking more cigarettes) were twice as high for the most frequent readers compared with those who did not read magazine articles about dieting and weight loss. The odds of using extreme weight-control behaviors (such as vomiting or using laxatives) were 3 times higher in the highest frequency readers compared with those who did not read such magazines. There were no significant associations for either weight-control behaviors or psychological outcomes for male adolescents. CONCLUSIONS. Frequent reading of magazine articles about dieting/weight loss strongly predicted unhealthy weight-control behaviors in adolescent girls, but not boys, 5 years later. Findings from this study, in conjunction with findings from previous studies, suggest a need for interventions aimed at reducing exposure to, and the importance placed on, media messages regarding dieting and weight loss.

Addressing weight-related issues in an elementary school: What do students, parents, and school staff recommend?

This study examined weight-related issues affecting elementary school children to gain insight into how best to address these issues within a school-based intervention. The study population included 21 students, 12 school staff members, and 21 parents from a school that serves an ethnically-diverse population. Data were collected using focus groups and individual interviews and were analyzed using qualitative research methodology. Weight-related teasing and poor body image emerged as prominent issues affecting students. Results suggest that programs aimed at the prevention of weight-related disorders should go beyond issues of nutrition and physical activity and include strategies to reduce weight-related mistreatment and to improve students body image.

Theater as a behavior change strategy: qualitative findings from a school-based intervention.

This study aimed to assess childrens opinions about participating in a school-based theater program (Very Important Kids) and to determine their perceptions as to how their participation influenced their weight-related attitudes and behaviors. Focus groups were conducted with 4th through 6th grade students who participated in a theater program where they developed and performed a play about weight-related issues. Participants identified the personal relevance of the plays material, the opportunity to be a role model, and being part of a team as the key aspects that enhanced their enjoyment of the program. Increased resilience to comments from others, positive changes in communication with peers, and improved body satisfaction emerged as the prominent changes students identified as occurring as a result of their participation in the program. Findings suggest that theater is a feasible and possibly effective strategy for use in school-based interventions aimed at the prevention of weight-related disorders.