Background/Purpose Adolescents having a weight perception of overweight/obese may utilize various weight-control behaviors (WCBs) in an effort to lose or maintain weight. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between weight perception and WCBs.
Method This study analyzed data from the 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study (NYPANS) of high school students. WCBs were classified as normal (i.e., exercise, eating less) and extreme (i.e., fasting, diet pills, purging, and smoking). Multinomial logistic regression was employed using SPSS with a sample of 9,133 adolescents (50.4% boys) to determine if those with a weight perception of overweight/obese were more likely to engage in extreme WCBs than normal weight perception adolescents. Control variables included age, sex, race, body mass index, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors.
Analysis/Results Analysis showed that 31.6% of adolescents had overweight/obese weight perception (C.I.= 29.6, 33.6). These students were more likely to report using normal WCBs (O.R.= 1.23, C.I.= 0.96, 1.73, p<.001) or extreme WCBs (O.R.= 1.06, C.I.= 0.87, 1.36, p<.001) than students with normal weight perception. Girls were more likely to use normal WCBs (O.R.= 1.35, p<.001) and extreme WCBs (O.R.= 1.40, p<.001) than boys. The model explained 19.1% of the variance in WCBs and correctly classified 58.3% of adolescents' behaviors.
Conclusions Further research is needed to identify additional factors of WCBs. While the model did not meet the 70% standard for classification, overweight/obese weight perception certainly has an effect on WCBs. Interventions addressing adolescents should take weight perception into account, especially for girls.