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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Desire for thinness among high school cheerleaders: relationship to disordered eating and weight control behaviors.

The eating disorders of anorexia nervosa and bulimia are increasing in frequency among adolescent females. These increases have been linked to the cultural ideal in American society of thinness. Attempting to control weight is one behavioral manifestation of the desire for thinness. One particular group of adolescents, female cheerleaders, often experience pressure to attain and maintain weight that is lower than other adolescents of the same height. This study examined cheerleaders' desire for thinness in relationship to disordered eating and weight control behaviors. A Desire for Thinness Scale and selected scales from three eating disorders instruments were administered to 751 high school cheerleaders from the Midwest. Cheerleaders who scored in the upper third on the Desire for Thinness Scale were compared with those who scored in the lower third. Cheerleaders who expressed a strong desire for thinness had significantly higher scores (p less than .0001) on 7 of 8 eating disorders scales. The greater the desire for thinness, the more likely the tendency to report disordered eating and weight control behaviors associated with bulimia. Implications from this study include an awareness of how a cultural ideal of thinness may indirectly increase disordered eating and weight control behaviors by making weight loss a salient goal. A proactive approach to modifying negative aspects of the cultural emphasis on thinness is proposed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

The Army Weight Control Program: a comprehensive mandated approach to weight control.

The Army Weight Control Program is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and mandated approach to weight control, designed to assist, educate, and motivate overweight individuals to reach their ideal body weight. The program objective is to ensure that Army personnel are able to meet the physical demands of their duties under combat conditions and is based on the assumption that the individual is ultimately responsible for exhibiting high standards of professional appearance. The history and the program philosophy are described. The Army Weight Control Program utilizes height-weight tables as an initial screen, followed by skinfold measurements, to identify overweight soldiers. Individuals who exceed established age and sex adjusted body fat standards (20% to 26% for men and 28% to 34% for women) and who do not have a pathological cause for their obesity are enrolled in the mandatory Army Weight Control Program. Entry into the program results in the withholding of favorable personnel actions. Noncompliance with established monthly weight-loss goals for a period of 6 months may result in separation from the Army. The rationale for the procedures and the methodologies of the program are reviewed and discussed. It is concluded that studies are required to evaluate the effectiveness of mandatory weight-control programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Dietary and weight control practices among persons with hypertension: findings from the 1986 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveys.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has concluded that reducing sodium intake, controlling weight, and moderating alcohol consumption can help patients with hypertension control their blood pressure. To determine whether such patients have adopted recommended dietary practices, we analyzed data collected in 1986 from telephone surveys of adults in 26 states (no. = 34,395). The self-reported dietary practices that we evaluated were: use of table salt, alcohol consumption, and weight control practices. In comparison with persons who did not have hypertension (no. = 26,848), those with hypertension who were receiving pharmacological therapy ("treated hypertensives," no. = 5,025) were more likely to report limiting their use of table salt (odds ratio [OR] = 2.5) and were less likely to have their weight controlled (OR = 0.4). Although overweight persons with hypertension were more likely than persons with normal blood pressure to attempt to lose weight, most have not included exercise in their weight loss efforts. There was no difference between persons who do not have hypertension and treated patients with hypertension in their use of alcohol. Untreated persons with hypertension (no. = 2,378) were less likely to limit their use of table salt and less likely to moderate their use of alcohol than treated persons with hypertension but otherwise reported similar dietary practices. Dietetic practitioners may need to emphasize moderation of alcohol use and the use of physical activity to lose weight when counseling patients with hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Controlling weight by purgation and vomiting: a comparative study of bulimics.

This study assessed the efficacy of self-induced vomiting and purgation, respectively, in attempts at preventing weight gain in patients with bulimia. It was found that the vomiters ate significantly more yet weighed less: the purgers ate less but weighed significantly more. Such findings strongly suggest that excess purgation has little impact on intestinal absorption even at the doses used in bulimia. Weight control appears to be exercised by dietary restraint not by the pharmacological action of the laxatives used.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Conversion surgery for morbid obesity: complications and long-term weight control.

Some operations for morbid obesity fail--for a variety of reasons. To better understand the risk and efficacy of converting, during a single operation, a failed procedure to a second type of operation for morbid obesity, a review was made of all 120 patients who underwent this type of conversion surgery at one university hospital during a 10-year period. The initial operations of 62 patients were converted to a gastric bypass with a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy, 11 to an unbanded gastrogastrostomy, and 47 to a vertical banded gastroplasty. Four patients are dead (three of unrelated causes), 11 have undergone a third operation for morbid obesity, and five (4.2%) are lost to follow-up. For 69 of 86 patients, 3- to 5-year follow-up data are available. Serious early complications occurred in 5.8% of the patients. Almost 80% of the patients who received an unbanded gastrogastroplasty did not control their weight, whereas most of those who received a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy or a vertical banded gastroplasty had satisfactory long-term weight control 3 to 5 years later, maintaining an average weight loss of 30% of their original weight or 55% of their excess weight. Conversion surgery is safe and effective.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Weight control in university students.

A total of 1858 students of United Kingdom origin aged between 18 and 20 years of age completed questionnaires which investigated present weight, bingeing, vomiting and weight control. Men were significantly more likely than women to be overweight, while women were significantly more likely to be underweight. One-third of the women were actively controlling weight, with dieting as the preferred method, while over half had attempted weight control in the past three years. Daily or more frequent bingeing was reported by 1.9% of men and 1.2% of women. There was a statistically significant relationship between weight control and bingeing. Eleven percent of men and 24% of women thought they had a problem with weight control, although amongst both men and women the proportion who felt they were overweight was in excess of the proportion who actually were overweight. It is suggested that health education programmes should take account of the pressures upon young women to conform to predetermined ideals in terms of body weight.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Self-help group behavioural treatment for obesity. An evaluation of Weight Control Workshops.

A study of a self-help weight control programme (Weight Control Workshops) in Sydney followed 168 women and four men from the beginning of the 12-week programme until six months after the end of the programme. The average subject was a 42-year-old woman who was moderately overweight with a starting weight of 74 kg and wished to lose 13 kg. Although 90% of subjects lost weight during the programme, weight losses were modest, with a mean loss of 4.3 kg. Weight loss was not well maintained, with 52% gaining weight in the follow-up period, to give a mean weight gain of 0.4 kg. The Weight Control Workshop programme represents a group treatment for obesity based on standard behaviour therapy, and appears to be as effective as similar programmes that have been reported in the literature.

Behavior Therapy↗
PubMed1988

Weight control methods in high school wrestlers.

Severe weight control methods used by high school wrestlers have caused concern about these students' growth and athletic performance. There are minimal prevalence data on a few methods of weight control used by wrestlers and no information on the relationship to body fat measurements. Weight control methods and the percent body fat of wrestlers (n = 49) were compared to competitive squash players (n = 20) and noncompetitive jogging and fitness students (n = 38) at an independent secondary school. Wrestlers used dieting (p = 0.0002), binging (p = 0.026, vomiting (p = 0.046), sweating (p = 0.0001), and fluid restriction to less than 2 cups/day (p = 0.0014) significantly more often than controls (squash players and jogging/fitness students). There was no difference between the wrestlers' and controls' use of fasting (p = 0.5) or exercising (p = 0.1). Neither group reported using a diuretic or laxative during the sports seasons. Although the wrestlers' percent body fat was lower than controls (mean for wrestlers = 10.3 +/- 3.5%, mean for controls = 12.4 +/- 3.7%, p = 0.01), wrestlers perceived their mean ideal weight to be less than their present weight (wrestlers = -1.56 +/- 6.20 lb, controls = +1.92 +/- 9.49 lb, p = 0.03). The methods of weight control practiced could potentially impair an adolescent's growth and development as well as increase the risk of dehydration or electrolyte imbalance during competition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Smoking as a weight-control strategy and its relationship to smoking status.

This investigation assessed the use of cigarettes for weight control and the relative impact of weight-control smoking and dietary restraint on current smoking status and future intent to quit smoking in 221 smokers and ex-smokers. We found that weight-control smokers were more likely to gain weight in previous quit attempts, had less formal education, scored higher on dietary restraint, and reported higher weight among biologic parents. Females who gained weight in previous cessation attempts were also more likely to be weight-control smokers. Current smoking was predicted by decreasing age, weight-control issues, lower dietary restraint, less education, more cigarettes smoked per day, less obesity in parents, and more cessation attempts. Females with higher relative weights were more likely to be smokers than males with less relative weight. The results indicated that the number of fewer prior quit attempts, higher levels of weight-control smoking, and increasing age predicted plans not to quit smoking. These results have important implications for those subjects at risk for continued smoking.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Theoretical and baseline considerations for diet and weight control of diabetes among blacks.

This article outlines theoretical considerations for diet and weight control of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and identifies factors that may be of particular importance in influencing the success of diet and weight control of NIDDM in the Black population. Long-term adherence to dietary or weight-control regimens requires that the patient evaluate and restructure established eating and physical activity patterns. With the use of the social action theory as a conceptual framework, this complex behavioral change task can be understood as a function of the interplay of various self-regulatory mechanisms. These mechanisms are influenced by the person's capabilities for making changes, his/her physical condition and general health status, the physical and social environmental context, and the person's material and social resources. Many of these factors may differ for Blacks and Whites in a direction that suggests a lesser potential for effective diet and weight-loss therapy among Black NIDDM patients. For example, compared with Whites, Blacks are more likely to have limited incomes, low educational attainment, ambivalence about weight control, multiple health problems, and high-fat high-sodium low-fiber diets or food preferences. However, some evidence suggests that state-of-the-art counseling approaches can be as effective for Blacks as for Whites. The challenge is to adapt the types of approaches suggested by the social action theory for culturally appropriate and cost-effective delivery in Black community health-care settings.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1986

Weight control content of women's magazines: bias and accuracy.

In order to assess the quality of weight control information directed at women through popular magazines, 37 issues on newsstands in January, 1982, were examined. Issues selected included approximately equal numbers of the top sellers, diet and exercise magazines, and newly established women's magazines as well as a smaller number of 'teen' magazines. The 67 articles on weight control found were evaluated by three nutritionists using a semantic differential scale based on Allon's four areas of discrimination against obesity and a 14-item test for accuracy. The 'diet' magazines devoted the highest portion of pages to weight control information, followed by the teen, top-seller, and new woman magazines in that order. Almost one-third of the articles scored perfect on accuracy of the information included; 15 percent were judged uncertain or worse. The remainder were judged largely, but not completely accurate. Judges found the articles were slightly skewed toward the negative ends of the scales assessing bias. Only 11 percent of the articles were judged pessimistic regarding success in weight control. The accuracy of this optimism must be questioned. There were no differences in accuracy, bias, or optimism among the four types of magazines.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

One-year follow-up study to a worksite weight control program.

Follow-up weights were obtained from 149 participants from two worksite weight control programs 1 year after the end of treatment. These participants regained, on average, 75% of the weight they had lost during treatment. Only 21% of this population maintained their post-treatment weight or continued to lose. We conclude that worksites do not appear to offer special advantages over clinic settings in aiding weight-loss maintenance.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Behavior therapy for weight control: long-term results of two programs with nutritionists as therapists.

Two studies examined the effectiveness of behavior modification techniques utilizing nutritionists as therapists. In study 1, therapist training on the use of behavioral techniques was done by self-study. Fifty-seven females at least 10% overweight (X = 20%, SD = +/- 14.0) were placed in one of three 10-week treatment conditions; 1) a multiple technique behavioral program, 2) food exchange treatment, and 3) delay treatment control. End of treatment weight losses averaged 3.0, 2.2, and 0.1 kg, respectively. When treated, the delay group lost 2.7 kg. One year post-treatment the behavior therapy subjects were maintaining approximately 70% of the weight lost during treatment; the other two groups maintained less than half of their achieved loss. In study 2, 54 female subjects 15 to 60% overweight (X = 39%, SD = +/- 12.3) underwent one of two 14-week behavioral weight control treatments. One was the same behavioral treatment used in study 1; the other was built around the concept of stimulus control. Both treatments included nutrition information. The therapists were trained by a behavioral psychologist. Weight loss at the end of treatment was 8.4 and 7.3 kg for the stimulus control and multiple technique conditions, respectively. There was a significant difference in favor of the stimulus control treatment at 3 and 6 months posttreatment. At the 18-month follow-up the stimulus control subjects were maintaining 80% of achieved weight loss; the other group only 50%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Long-term weight control study. V (weeks 190 to 210). Follow-up of participants after cessation of medication.

Participants who completed up to week 190 in the long-term weight control study were monitored after cessation of medication between weeks 190 and 210. Caloric restriction, behavior modification sessions, exercise reinforcement, and physician visits continued. We assessed whether or not participants had reset their weight control mechanisms and compared the effect of stopping medication under open-label conditions (weeks 190 to 210) with the results of stopping anorexiants under double-blind conditions (weeks 160 to 190). At week 210, participants were, on average, 1.4 +/- 1.0 kg (mean +/- SEM, 1.5% +/- 1.1%) below their weights at baseline (week 0). Of the 48 participants who remained in the study, 13 were still 5% or more and seven were 10% or more below their initial weights. On average, participants gained 2.7 +/- 0.5 kg (3.2%) in the period from weeks 190 to 210. Those who had been taking medication in the period from weeks 160 to 190 gained weight at a somewhat faster rate than those who had been taking placebo. However, participants who had transferred from fenfluramine plus phentermine to no medication in this phase gained at a slower rate than participants who had changed from fenfluramine plus phentermine to placebo under double-blind conditions at week 160 (0.195 kg per week versus 0.277 kg per week). The findings indicate that participants had difficulty maintaining weight loss without anorexiant medications. Despite long periods of time at weights much lower than baseline, permanent resetting of weight control mechanisms could not be shown for most participants.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Perceptions held by obese children and their parents: implications for weight control intervention.

The study was designed to identify some of the psychosocial barriers to compliance in a hospital-based weight control intervention program for adolescents. Forty obese adolescents, 10 to 16 years of age, and their parents were surveyed prior to participation in a behavioral change weight control program at a major teaching hospital. Significant correlations were obtained between weight loss outcome and six factors. In obese adolescents, weight loss was significantly associated with their beliefs regarding: (1) personal control over weight, (2) barriers or difficulty of losing weight, (3) medical problems as a cause of their obesity, (4) family problems as a cause of their obesity, and (5) perceived willingness of family members to diet. It is suggested that greater weight loss in children who perceived more barriers/difficulty and less family willingness to diet may reflect the importance of having realistic expectations related to behavioral compliance. In addition, a positive parental attitude or expectation that the child was less likely to be overweight in the future was associated with greater weight loss compliance. Other parental health beliefs, however, did not generally predict the child's weight loss response to the intervention. The findings lend support to the significance of the adolescent's beliefs regarding weight and family support in explaining weight loss response to a behavioral change intervention program.

Adolescent↗