Brief report: weight dissatisfaction, weight status, and weight loss in Mexican-American children.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the association between weight dissatisfaction, weight status, and weight loss in Mexican-American children participating in a weight management program.


METHODS
Participants included 265 Mexican American children recruited for a school-based weight management program. All children completed baseline assessments and changes in standardized body mass index (zBMI) were monitored in at-risk for overweight and overweight children (i.e., > 85th BMI percentile) who had been randomized to receive the weight loss intervention (n = 101).


RESULTS
Participants classified as at-risk for overweight or overweight reported greater weight dissatisfaction than normal weight children. Lower weight dissatisfaction at baseline was associated with greater changes in zBMI at 6 months. Weight dissatisfaction did not change across the course of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Mexican-American children whose weight status is greater than normal have greater weight dissatisfaction. Children with greater weight dissatisfaction are less likely to lose weight in a weight management program and weight dissatisfaction remains stable over the course of treatment.
Dalton
William T
WT
Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, PO Box 70649, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA. daltonw@etsu.edu
Johnston
Craig A
CA
Foreyt
John P
JP
Tyler
Chermaine
C
D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D015431:Weight Loss