TY - JOUR
T1 - Association of web-based weight loss information use with weight reduction behaviors in adolescent women
AU - Laz, Tabassum H.
AU - Berenson, Abbey B.
N1 - Funding Information:
Federal support for this study was provided by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) as follows: Dr Berenson, under a mid-career investigator award in patient-oriented research ( K24HD043659 , PI: Berenson); Dr Tabassum Haque Laz, as an NRSA postdoctoral fellow under an institutional training grant ( T32HD055163 , PI: Berenson). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NICHD or the National Institutes of Health.
PY - 2011/10
Y1 - 2011/10
N2 - Purpose: To examine the association between seeking weight loss information from the Internet and weight loss behaviors. Methods: A self-administered survey was conducted on 3,181 women, aged 1624 years, between August 2008 and August 2010. Questions were asked on use of the Internet to obtain weight loss information and various weight loss practices. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between seeking weight loss information online and practicing these weight loss behaviors. Results: In all, 39% used the Internet to seek weight loss information. Women who obtained weight loss information from the Internet were more likely to exercise (odds ratio [OR]: 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.071.60), use diet pills (OR: 4.14, 95% CI: 2.935.84), laxatives (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.153.54), diuretics (OR: 7.89, 95% CI: 2.8821.61), vomit after eating (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.245.30), skip meals (OR: 2.77, 95% CI: 2.263.39), smoke more cigarettes (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.142.14), and stop eating carbohydrates (OR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.815.26) after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and education. Conclusions: Many young women engage in unhealthy weight loss behaviors which they may learn online. Interventions are needed to instruct young women on safe practices to lose weight.
AB - Purpose: To examine the association between seeking weight loss information from the Internet and weight loss behaviors. Methods: A self-administered survey was conducted on 3,181 women, aged 1624 years, between August 2008 and August 2010. Questions were asked on use of the Internet to obtain weight loss information and various weight loss practices. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association between seeking weight loss information online and practicing these weight loss behaviors. Results: In all, 39% used the Internet to seek weight loss information. Women who obtained weight loss information from the Internet were more likely to exercise (odds ratio [OR]: 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.071.60), use diet pills (OR: 4.14, 95% CI: 2.935.84), laxatives (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.153.54), diuretics (OR: 7.89, 95% CI: 2.8821.61), vomit after eating (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.245.30), skip meals (OR: 2.77, 95% CI: 2.263.39), smoke more cigarettes (OR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.142.14), and stop eating carbohydrates (OR: 3.09, 95% CI: 1.815.26) after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and education. Conclusions: Many young women engage in unhealthy weight loss behaviors which they may learn online. Interventions are needed to instruct young women on safe practices to lose weight.
KW - Adolescent women
KW - Internet use
KW - Unhealthy weight loss behavior
KW - Weight loss information
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.01.020
DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2011.01.020
M3 - Article
C2 - 21939880
AN - SCOPUS:80052968752
SN - 1054-139X
VL - 49
SP - 446
EP - 448
JO - Journal of Adolescent Health
JF - Journal of Adolescent Health
IS - 4
ER -