Adolescents' eating, exercise, and weight control behaviors: does peer crowd affiliation play a role?
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between peer crowd affiliation (e.g., Jocks, Populars, Burnouts, Brains) and adolescents' eating, exercise, and weight control behaviors. The roles of gender and ethnicity were also examined.


METHODS
Ethnically diverse adolescents (N = 705; 66% girls) completed the Peer Crowd Questionnaire, eating and exercise items from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, and weight control behaviors from the Eating Attitudes Test-12.


RESULTS
Controlling for gender and ethnicity, adolescents affiliating with the Burnouts reported more unhealthful eating and more bulimic behaviors than others; adolescents affiliating with the Brains reported more healthful eating, less unhealthful eating, and more dieting; those affiliating with Jocks and Populars reported engaging in more exercise; and Populars also reported more unhealthful eating. In addition, boys exercised more than girls; girls reported more dieting and bulimic behaviors. Black adolescents reported more unhealthful eating and less dieting than other adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
Along with gender and ethnicity, peer crowd affiliation is related to adolescents' eating, exercise, and weight control behaviors. Prevention programs should consider adolescent peer crowds in developing health promotion and obesity prevention programs.
Mackey
Eleanor Race
ER
MS, PO Box 249229, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL 33124, USA. erace@miami.edu
La Greca
Annette M
AM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010379:Peer Group; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012928:Social Desirability; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires