title: Dieting in children: a population-based study in children aged between 9 and 12 years.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dieting can be a burden for the child and can have side effects. Insight into dieting is therefore important. A recent study showed that 13.7% (95% CI 11.5-15.9%) of the children referred to a general paediatric outpatient clinic were or had been on a diet. However, it is unknown how many children in a random population are or have been on a diet.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of children in the fifth grade of primary schools in the Dutch province of Friesland were asked to complete a structured questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 2500 questionnaires 90% were returned. Two hundred and thirty-one children aged between 9 and 12 years had been on a diet (10.3%, 95% CI 9.0%-11.6%). A cow's milk free diet was used most frequently (50% of the dieting children). Other diets were: diets excluding additives (16%), peanuts (16%), sugar (15%) and lactose (11%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of diets by children in a general population is widespread: one in every ten children was or had been on a diet. Due to the known health risks associated with diets excluding one or more foods, such diets should only be advised by healthcare professionals.
authors: Department of Paediatrics, Beatrix kinderkliniek UMCG, Groningen, The Netherlands. m.dousma@bkk.umcg.nl
authors: Mieke
authors: M
authors: Dousma
authors: Nienke
authors: N
authors: Wierdsma
authors: Jaap
authors: J
authors: van Ede
authors: Stef
authors: S
authors: van Buuren
authors: Hugo S A
authors: HS
authors: Heijmans
authors: Tjalling W
authors: TW
authors: de Vries
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D002648:Child; D004035:Diet Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires