Journal article
Gender differences in determinants of weight-control behaviours among adolescents in Beirut
Public health nutrition, Vol.13(1), pp.71-81
01/2010
DOI: 10.1017/S136898000900500X
PMID: 19243678
Abstract
Objective
To investigate the association between self-esteem, physical activity, engaging in risky behaviours, social and cultural capital, attitudes towards thinness, parental and personal characteristics with weight-control behaviours among adolescents in Beirut, Lebanon.
Design
A community-based cross-sectional study. A stratified cluster sampling design was used and information gathered by means of a questionnaire. Associations were investigated using multinomial logistic regression, accounting for the survey design. Odds ratios were calculated for trying to lose weight, or trying to gain weight, compared with no weight-control behaviour.
Setting
The study was conducted in three underprivileged urban areas of Beirut in 2003.
Subjects
The sample size was 1294 adolescents aged 13–19 years.
Results
Determinants of weight-control behaviour among girls included their attitudes towards thinness (ORloss = 4·29, ORgain = 0·38), dissatisfaction with weight (ORloss = 10·9, ORgain = 9·63), engaging in physical activity (ORloss = 2·22), smoking (ORloss≈3) and the mother working (ORloss = 2·77). Determinants of weight-control behaviour in boys included their attitudes towards thinness (ORloss = 14·7, ORgain = 0·35), dissatisfaction with weight (ORloss = 15·6, ORgain = 17·7), being involved in a cultural activity (ORgain = 2·51), engaging in a fight (ORloss = 5·25, ORgain = 1·64) and engaging in physical activity (ORloss = 2·56, ORgain = 2·17).
Conclusions
Attitudes towards thinness, weight dissatisfaction and physical activity are common determinants for weight-control among boys and girls, although to varying degrees of influence. Self-esteem, social capital, cultural capital and parental characteristics were not significant predictors when accounting for the other variables.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Gender differences in determinants of weight-control behaviours among adolescents in Beirut
- Creators
- Mona N Kanaan - 1Department of Health Sciences, Seebohm Rowntree Building (Area 3), University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UKRema A Afifi - 2Department of Health Behavior and Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, The American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Public health nutrition, Vol.13(1), pp.71-81
- DOI
- 10.1017/S136898000900500X
- PMID
- 19243678
- NLM abbreviation
- Public Health Nutr
- ISSN
- 1368-9800
- eISSN
- 1475-2727
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press; Cambridge, UK
- Number of pages
- 11
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/2010
- Academic Unit
- Injury Prevention Research Center; Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984063136702771
Metrics
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