title: Weight management behaviors in a sample of Iranian adolescent girls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Attempts to obtain the ideal body shape portrayed in advertising can result in behaviors that lead to an unhealthy reduction in weight. This study was designed to identify contributing factors that may be effective in changing the behavior of a sample of Iranian adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred fifty adolescent girls from high schools in Kerman, Iran participated in a cross-sectional study based on a self-administered questionnaire. Multifactorial logistic regression modeling was used to identify the factors influencing each of the contributing factors for body management methods, and a decision tree model was constructed to identify individuals who were more or less likely to change their body shape.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately one-third of the adolescent girls had attempted dieting, and 37 % of them had exercised to lose weight. The logistic regression model showed that pressure from their mother and the media; father's education level; and body mass index (BMI) were important factors in dieting. BMI and perceived pressure from the media were risk factors for attempting exercise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BMI and perceived pressure from relatives, particularly mothers, and the media were important factors in attempts by adolescent girls to lose weight.
authors.affiliation: Social Sciences Department, Literature & Human Sciences School, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garousi
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 444, Kerman, Iran. behshidgarrusi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garrusi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Research Center for Modeling in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Baneshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sharifi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescent girls; Body satisfaction; Iran; Weight reduction