title: The Effects of Weight Perception on Adolescents' Weight-Loss Intentions and Behaviors: Evidence from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between self-perception of being overweight and weight loss intentions, eating and exercise behaviors, as well as extreme weight-loss strategies for U.S. adolescents. This study uses 50,241 observations from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) 2001-2009, which were nationally representative sample of 9th- through 12th-grade students in both public and private schools in the US. This study finds that, irrespective of the weight status base on self-reported weight and height, adolescents who perceive themselves as overweight have a stronger intention to lose weight, but do not develop better eating and exercise habits, compared with their counterparts of same gender and reported weight status. Normal-weight adolescents, if they perceive themselves as overweight, are more likely to engage in health-compromising weight-loss methods. This study shows that it is critical to transform weight-loss intentions into actual behaviors among overweight/obese adolescents and improve the efficacy of behavioral interventions against childhood obesity. It also highlights the need of establishing a correct perception of body weight among normal weight adolescents to curb extreme weight-loss methods.
authors.affiliation: Economics Department, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA. mfan@bsu.edu.
authors.forename: Maoyong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, 08901, New Jersey, USA. yjin@aesop.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight; D004032:Diet / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D015431:Weight Loss; D014892:Weight Perception; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: childhood obesity; diet habit; overweight perception; physical activity; weight-loss behavior