Assessing weight perception accuracy to promote weight loss among U.S. female adolescents: A secondary analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Overweight and obesity have become a global epidemic. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among U.S. adolescents has almost tripled in the last 30 years. Results from recent systematic reviews demonstrate that no single, particular intervention or strategy successfully assists overweight or obese adolescents in losing weight. An understanding of factors that influence healthy weight-loss behaviors among overweight and obese female adolescents promotes effective, multi-component weight-loss interventions. There is limited evidence demonstrating associations between demographic variables, body-mass index, and weight perception among female adolescents trying to lose weight. There is also a lack of previous studies examining the association of the accuracy of female adolescents' weight perception with their efforts to lose weight. This study, therefore, examined the associations of body-mass index, weight perception, and weight-perception accuracy with trying to lose weight and engaging in exercise as a weight-loss method among a representative sample of U.S. female adolescents.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A nonexperimental, descriptive, comparative secondary analysis design was conducted using data from Wave II (1996) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Data representative of U.S. female adolescents (N = 2216) were analyzed using STATA statistical software. Descriptive statistics and survey weight logistic regression were performed to determine if demographic and independent (body-mass index, weight perception, and weight perception accuracy) variables were associated with trying to lose weight and engaging in exercise as a weight-loss method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Age, Black or African American race, body-mass index, weight perception, and weight perceptions accuracy were consistently associated with the likeliness of trying to lose weight among U.S. female adolescents. Age, body-mass index, weight perception, and weight-perception accuracy were positively associated (<it>p </it>< 0.05) with trying to lose weight. Black/African American subjects were significantly less likely than their White counterparts to be trying to lose weight. There was no association between demographic or independent variables and engaging in exercise as a weight-loss method.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Findings suggest that factors influencing weight-loss efforts, including age, race, body-mass index, weight perception, and weight-perception accuracy, should be incorporated into existing or new multi-component weight-loss interventions for U.S. adolescent females in order to help reduce the national epidemic of overweight and obesity among U.S. female adolescents.</p

Adolescents' experience of comments about their weight – prevalence, accuracy and effects on weight misperception

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Weight comments are commonly received by adolescents, but the accuracy of the comments and their effects on weight misperception are unclear. We assessed the prevalence and accuracy of weight comments received by Chinese adolescents from different sources and their relation to weight misperception.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In the Hong Kong Student Obesity Surveillance (HKSOS) project 2006–07, 22612 students aged 11–18 (41.5% boys) completed a questionnaire on obesity. Students responded if family members, peers and professionals had seriously commented over the past 30 days that they were "too fat" or "too thin" in two separate questions. The accuracy of the comments was judged against the actual weight status derived from self-reported height and weight. Self-perceived weight status was also reported and any discordance with the actual weight status denoted weight misperception. Logistic regression yielded adjusted odd ratios for weight misperception by the type of weight comments received.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>One in three students received weight comments, and the mother was the most common source of weight comments. Health professional was the most accurate source of weight comments, yet less than half the comments were correct. Adolescents receiving incorrect comments had increased risk of having weight misperception in all weight status groups. Receiving conflicting comments was positively associated with weight misperception among normal weight adolescents. In contrast, underweight and overweight/obese adolescents receiving correct weight comments were less likely to have weight misperception.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Weight comments, mostly incorrect, were commonly received by Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong, and such incorrect comments were associated with weight misperception.</p

Toxin-Based Models to Investigate Demyelination and Remyelination.

Clinical myelin diseases, and our best experimental approximations, are complex entities in which demyelination and remyelination proceed unpredictably and concurrently. These features can make it difficult to identify mechanistic details. Toxin-based models offer lesions with predictable spatiotemporal patterns and relatively discrete phases of damage and repair: a simpler system to study the relevant biology and how this can be manipulated. Here, we discuss the most widely used toxin-based models, with a focus on lysolecithin, ethidium bromide, and cuprizone. This includes an overview of their respective mechanisms, strengths, and limitations and step-by-step protocols for their use

Hansen Type I disk disease at T1-2 in a Dachshund

A 7-year-old Dachshund was presented with chronic left thoracic limb lameness and acute neurological deficits to the hind limbs following trauma. A lesion was suspected between C7 and T2 on the basis of neurological examinations. Radiography and myelography identified a calcified intervertebral disk at C7-T1 and an extradural unilateral compressive lesion at T1-2. Computed tomography scans of the cranial thoracic spine revealed extrusion of disk material from the T1-2 intervertebral space resulting in marked spinal cord compression. Intervertebral disk disease is rarely reported at this location. The neurological condition deteriorated after a second myelogram, which was done to examine the thoracolumbar spine. A modified dorsal decompression of T1-2 was performed. The dog was euthanased due to further neurological deterioration 8 days after surgery

Insatisfação com o peso corporal e fatores associados em adolescentes Body weight dissatisfaction and associated factors among adolescents

OBJETIVO: Estimar a ocorrência de insatisfação com peso corporal e os fatores associados em adolescentes. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, representativo dos escolares de 15 a 19 anos de escolas públicas de Santa Catarina, no ano de 2002. O desfecho do estudo foi a satisfação com o peso corporal, avaliada pela pergunta: "Você está satisfeito(a) com seu peso corporal?". As variáveis avaliadas foram: sexo, idade, renda familiar, local de residência, estado nutricional, tempo semanal assistindo televisão, tabagismo e autopercepção de saúde. Investigaram-se também os seguintes comportamentos alimentares: tomar remédios para emagrecer, provocar vômitos após as refeições e realizar, no mínimo, três refeições/dia. Empregou-se regressão multinomial nas análises bruta e ajustada. RESULTADOS: Dentre os adolescentes avaliados (n=5.028), 16,7% (IC95%: 15,7-17,7) estavam insatisfeitos com seu peso e gostariam de aumentá-lo, e 36,2% (IC95%: 34,9-37,5) gostariam de diminui-lo. Tomar remédios para emagrecer, provocar vômitos após as refeições e não realizar, no mínimo, três refeições/dia foram mais frequentes entre aqueles que gostariam de reduzir o peso. Após análise ajustada, os fatores associados ao desejo de aumentar o peso foram: sexo masculino, idade >17 anos, residir na zona urbana, não ter excesso de peso e autopercepção de saúde negativa. Já os fatores associados ao desejo de diminuir o peso foram: sexo feminino, residir na zona urbana, ter excesso de peso e uma percepção negativa de saúde. CONCLUSÕES: Encontrou-se alta prevalência de insatisfação com o peso, sendo as variáveis sexo, estado nutricional e autopercepção de saúde os fatores mais fortemente associados a tal comportamento.<br>OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of body weight dissatisfaction among adolescents and the associated factors. METHODS: Population-based cross-sectional study covering a sample of students with ages from 15 to 19 years, attending public high schools in Santa Catarina, Brazil, in the year 2002. The outcome of the study was body weight satisfaction, assessed by the question: "Are you satisfied with your body weight?" The variables analyzed were gender, age, family income, home neighborhood, nutritional status, time of television viewing per week, smoking and self-rated health. Some feeding behaviors were also investigated: taking weight loss medication, vomiting after meals, and having at least three meals per day. A multinomial regression model was used in the crude and adjusted analyses. RESULTS: Among the adolescents evaluated (n=5,028), 16.7% (95%CI: 15.7-17.7) were unsatisfied and would like to gain weight, and 36.2% (95%CI: 34.9-37.5) would like to reduce it. Frequent behaviors among those who wanted to reduce their body weight included: taking weight loss medication, vomiting after meals, and not having at least three meals per day. Adjusted analyses showed that factors associated with the desire to gain weight were: male gender, >17 years old, living in the urban area, without overweight, and having a negative self-perception of health. Factors associated with the desire to lose weight included: female gender, living in the urban area, with overweight, and having a negative self-perception of health. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of body weight dissatisfaction was found in this sample, and the factors more associated with this behavior included gender, nutritional status and self-perception of health