title: Use of diet pills and other dieting aids in a college population with high weight and shape concerns.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study examines diet aid use among college women at risk for eating disorders and explores characteristics associated with diet aid use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 484 college women<30 years from 6 universities in the San Francisco Bay Area (SF) and San Diego who were at risk for developing eating disorders. A checklist assessed diet pill, fat blocker, diuretic, laxative, and other diet aid use over the past 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two percent of the college women reported using a diet aid. Diet aid use was double the rate in San Diego (44%) compared with SF (22%) (p=.000). Weight and shape concerns were higher among diet aid users than among nonusers across sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant number of college women at risk for eating disorders are using diet aids. We recommend that clinicians inquire about diet aid use among college-aged patients.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5722, and Department of Psychiatry, The University of Chicago Hospitals, IL, USA.
authors: Christine I
authors: CI
authors: Celio
authors: Kristine H
authors: KH
authors: Luce
authors: Susan W
authors: SW
authors: Bryson
authors: Andrew J
authors: AJ
authors: Winzelberg
authors: Darby
authors: D
authors: Cunning
authors: Roxanne
authors: R
authors: Rockwell
authors: Angela A
authors: AA
authors: Celio Doyle
authors: Denise E
authors: DE
authors: Wilfley
authors: C Barr
authors: CB
authors: Taylor