title: Prevalence of self-induced vomiting and laxative/medication abuse among female adolescents: a longitudinal study.
abstract: In order to assess the prevalence and stability of weight reduction techniques utilized by adolescent females, three comprehensive samples of middle school and high school students (ages 12-18) were surveyed in the springs of 1984, 1989, and 1992. All participants were enrolled in the same school district to ensure that the groups were demographically equivalent. The results demonstrated a significant decrease in the use of appetite suppressants among high school students. However, middle school females reported a significant increase in medication use and self-induced vomiting during the same 7-year period. Laxative abuse has persisted unchanged for a small segment of both populations.
authors.affiliation: School psychology program, State University of New York at Buffalo.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Phelps
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Andrea
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Main
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002032:Bulimia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002400:Cathartics; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009518:New York / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D002400:Cathartics