Trying to Lose Weight and Alcohol Misuse Among High School Girls: Findings From the U.S. National 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Association between body weight misperception and dietary patterns in Brazilian adolescents: Cross-sectional study using ERICA data

The association between body image and eating behaviors or weight control strategies has been demonstrated in the scientific literature, but there is a lack of evidence on the association between weight misperception and food consumption indicators in adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the association between weight misperception and dietary patterns (DPs) in the Brazilian Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA). It was a national school-based cross-sectional study conducted among students aged 12-17 years. Data were collected in the form of anthropometric measurements, responses in self-answered questionnaires, and 24-h dietary recall. The following variables were assessed: weight underestimation and overestimation (independent variables), which were defined as the presence of a disagreement between nutritional status and self-perceived weight; dietary patterns (dependent variables), defined by a posteriori method using principal component factor analysis; and individual and demographic variables (covariates). Data analysis was performed using the Poisson regression models method, stratified by sex. A total of 52,038 adolescents with normal weights were evaluated. The weight misperception prevalence was 34.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.0, 35.0). Three DPs were identified: "Traditional Brazilian," "Processed meat sandwiches and coffee," and "Ultra-processed and sweet foods." In girls, weight underestimation was directly associated with the "Traditional Brazilian" (1.24; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.43) and "Ultra-processed and sweet foods" DPs (1.29; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.54), and overestimation was inversely associated with all the DPs. In boys, a direct association between underestimation and the "Ultra-processed and sweet foods" DP (1.29; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.51) was found. Overestimation was inversely associated with the "Traditional Brazilian" DP (0.79; 95% CI: 0.63, 0.99). The inverse association between overestimation and the "Traditional Brazilian" DP, and the direct association between underestimation and the "Ultra-processed and sweet foods" DP indicated that weight misperception was related to unhealthy eating habits in Brazilian adolescents.

Exploring the links between unhealthy eating behaviour and heavy alcohol use in the social, emotional and cultural lives of young adults (aged 18-25): A qualitative research study

Alcohol use peaks in early adulthood and can contribute both directly and indirectly to unhealthy weight gain. This is the first qualitative study to explore the links between unhealthy eating behaviour and heavy alcohol use in the social, emotional and cultural lives of young adults. We conducted 45 in-depth interviews with 18-25-year-olds in North-East England to inform development of a dual-focused intervention to reduce health risk due to excess weight gain and alcohol use. Data were analysed thematically, following the principles of constant comparison, resulting in three intersecting themes: (1) how food and alcohol consumption currently link together for this population group; (2) influences upon linked eating and drinking behaviours and (3) young adults' feelings and concerns about linked eating and drinking behaviours. Socio-cultural, physical and emotional links between food and alcohol consumption were an unquestioned norm among young adults. Eating patterns linked to alcohol use were not tied only to hunger, but also to sociability, traditions and identity. Young adults conceptualised and calculated risks to weight, appearance and social status, rather than to long-term health. This study is the first to evidence the deeply interconnected nature of food and alcohol consumption for many young adults. Findings have important implications for intervention development, UK public health policy and practice, and point to a need for similar research in other countries.

High-risk behaviors and demographic features: a cross-sectional study among Iranian adolescents

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

High-risk behaviors are considered to be a serious threat among adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of unhealthy and high-risk behaviors and their relationship with demographic features in adolescents living in Shiraz, Iran.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 483 students in the 10th grade of high school. The data were collected using a demographic information form and a modified adolescents high-risk behaviors questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed using the test-retest method. Afterwards, the data were entered into the SPSS statistical software (IBM), version 22 and were analyzed using the chi-square (χ²) test, logistic regression analysis and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

RESULTS

High-risk health behaviors were significantly correlated to adolescents' gender, parents' occupations and education levels, length of residency in Shiraz and talking about important things with one's parents (p < 0.03). Gender predicted 52% of variance of bullying behaviors at school [Exp(B) = 0.502, p < 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.261-0.996]. In fact, most high-risk behaviors were associated with gender (p < 0.001). Indeed, bullying was mostly reported in boys, while being hopeless or sad, suicide attempts and appropriate weight loss behaviors were mostly reported among girls. Additionally, the frequency of smoking cigarettes and using hookahs was higher among girls compared to boys (23.1% for smoking cigarettes and 39.6% for using hookahs). However, no significant correlation was observed between gender and smoking cigarettes and using hookahs (p > 0.704 for smoking cigarettes and p > 0.118 for using hookahs). The most prevalent high-risk behaviors were physical fighting (51.1%), being sad or hopeless (35.2%), alcohol abuse (26.7%), overweight (14.7%) and obesity (8.1%) in both genders. Based on the results, only 26.5% of the adolescents had sufficient physical activity. Besides, the adolescents' weight scores were significantly correlated to eating green salads (p < 0.01), which was seen more among overweight adolescents.

CONCLUSION

The findings indicated that adolescents' gender and their parents' roles should be taken into consideration in designing health promotion programs, such as mental health and its related skills. This would eventually result in the prevention and reduction of unhealthy habits.

Relationship between unhealthy weight control behaviors and substance use patterns among Korean adolescents: results from the 2017 national youth risk behavior survey

OBJECTIVE

Unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCBs) can lead to numerous health problems. Adolescents who engage in UWCB are more likely to abuse substances than other adolescents. However, few studies have examined the relationship between UWCB and substance use, despite the fact that their co-occurrence can result in greater morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to examine the association between UWCB and substance use patterns among Korean adolescents using nationally representative data.

STUDY DESIGN

This study involved an analysis of statistical data collected from 27,284 adolescent participants (13-18 years old) in the 2017 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey.

METHODS

The Chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to demonstrate the association between substance use patterns (energy drink intake, alcohol use, cigarette smoking, electronic cigarette use, and drug use) and UWCB (one-food diets, fasting, diet pill use, and purging). All statistical analyses were performed to reflect complex sampling weights.

RESULTS

More female than male adolescents reported to be engaged in any of the following UWCBs: one-food diets (female: 9.6%, male: 4.8%), fasting (female: 11.6%, male: 7.4%), diet pill use (female: 2.9%, male: 1.5%), and purging (female: 4.1%, male: 2.2%). The prevalence of all UWCBs tended to increase as energy drink intake (P < 0.001), cigarette smoking (P < 0.001), and electronic cigarette use (P < 0.001) increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Health professionals who work with adolescents need to be aware of the importance of screening for UWCB, including one-food diets, fasting, diet pill use, and purging, especially as a co-occurrence with substance use.

Non-Pharmacological Interventions to Reduce Unhealthy Eating and Risky Drinking in Young Adults Aged 18⁻25 Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Alcohol use peaks in early adulthood and can contribute both directly and indirectly to unhealthy weight gain. This review aimed to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of preventative targeted interventions focused on reducing unhealthy eating behavior and linked alcohol use in 18⁻25-year-olds. Twelve electronic databases were searched from inception to June 2018 for trials or experimental studies, of any duration or follow-up. Eight studies (seven with student populations) met the inclusion criteria. Pooled estimates demonstrated inconclusive evidence that receiving an intervention resulted in changes to self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption (mean change/daily servings: 0.33; 95% CI -0.22 to 0.87) and alcohol consumption (mean reduction of 0.6 units/week; CI -1.35 to 0.19). There was also little difference in the number of binge drinking episodes per week between intervention and control groups (-0.01 sessions; CI -0.07 to 0.04). This review identified only a small number of relevant studies. Importantly, included studies did not assess whether (and how) unhealthy eating behaviors and alcohol use link together. Further exploratory work is needed to inform the development of appropriate interventions, with outcome measures that have the capacity to link food and alcohol consumption, in order to establish behavior change in this population group.

Gender orientation and alcohol-related weight control behavior among male and female college students

OBJECTIVE

We examine weight control behavior used to (a) compensate for caloric content of heavy alcohol use; and (b) enhance the psychoactive effects of alcohol among college students. We evaluate the role of gender orientation and sex.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants completed an online survey (N = 651; 59.9% women; 40.1% men).

METHOD

Weight control behavior was assessed via the Compensatory-Eating-and-Behaviors-in Response-to-Alcohol-Consumption-Scale. Control variables included sex, race/ethnicity, age, and depressive symptoms. Gender orientation was measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory. The prevalence and probability of alcohol-related weight control behavior using ordinal logistic regression are reported.

RESULTS

Men and women do not significantly differ in compensatory-weight-control-behavior. However, regression models suggest that recent binge drinking, other substance use, and masculine orientation are positively associated with alcohol-related weight control behavior.

CONCLUSIONS

Sex was not a robust predictor of weight control behavior. Masculine orientation should be considered a possible risk factor for these behaviors and considered when designing prevention and intervention strategies.