Psychological and behavioral risk factors for obesity onset in adolescent girls: a prospective study.
Because little is known about risk factors for obesity, the authors tested whether certain psychological and behavioral variables predicted future onset of obesity. The authors used data from a prospective study of 496 adolescent girls who completed a baseline assessment at age 11-15 years and 4 annual follow-ups. Self-reported dietary restraint, radical weight-control behaviors, depressive symptoms, and perceived parental obesity--but not high-fat food consumption, binge eating, or exercise frequency-predicted obesity onset. Results provide support for certain etiologic theories of obesity, including the affect regulation model. The fact that self-reported, weight-control behaviors identified girls at risk for obesity implies that high-risk youths are not engaging in effective weight-control methods and suggests the need to promote more effective strategies.
Stice
Eric
E
Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. estice@ori.org
Presnell
Katherine
K
Shaw
Heather
H
Rohde
Paul
P
D000293:Adolescent; D017668:Age of Onset; D001835:Body Weight; D002032:Bulimia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index