OBJECTIVES. A major assumption underlying youth health promotion has been that physiological risk factors track from childhood into adulthood. However, few studies have systematically examined how behaviors change during adolescence. This paper describes longitudinal tracking of adolescent health behaviors in two Minnesota Heart Health Program communities. METHODS. Beginning in sixth grade (1983), seven annual waves of behavioral measurements were taken from both communities (baseline n = 2376). Self-reported data included smoking behavior, physical activity, and food preferences. RESULTS. A progressive increase in the change to weekly smoking status was observed across the smoking status categories. As students began to experiment with smoking, they were more likely to either begin to be or remain regular smokers. Tracking of physical activity and food choice variables was also apparent. In nearly all the follow-up periods, the students identified at baseline as measuring high remained high, and those measuring low remained low. CONCLUSIONS. These results indicate that there is evidence of early consolidation and tracking of physical activity, food preference, and smoking behavior. The early consolidation of health behaviors implies that interventions should begin prior to sixth grade, before behavioral patterns are resistant to change. The smoking results suggest that students are experiencing difficulty quitting smoking; thus, youth smoking cessation interventions are warranted.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of perceived weight-teasing and associations with unhealthy weightcontrol behaviors and binge eating in a population-based sample of youth. Particular focus was placed on overweight youth, who may be most vulnerable to weight-teasing. METHODS: The study population included 4746 adolescents from St Paul=Minneapolis public schools who completed surveys and anthropometric measurements as part of Project EAT, a population-based study of eating patterns and weight concerns among teens. RESULTS: There were statistically significant associations between perceived weight-teasing and weight status; both overweight and underweight youth reported higher levels of teasing than average weight youth. Very overweight youth (body mass index (BMI) 95th percentile) were most likely to be teased about their weight; 63% of very overweight girls, and 58% of very overweight boys reported being teased by their peers, while weight-teasing by family members was reported by 47% of these girls and 34% of these boys. Youth who were teased about their weight, particularly overweight girls, reported that it bothered them. Perceived weight-teasing was significantly associated with disordered eating behaviors among overweight and nonoverweight girls and boys. For example, among overweight youth, 29% of girls and 18% of boys who experienced frequent weight-teasing reported binge-eating as compared to 16% of girls and 7% of boys who were not teased. CONCLUSIONS: Many adolescents, in particular those who are overweight, report being teased about their weight and being bothered by the teasing. Weight-teasing is associated with disordered eating behaviors that may place overweight youth at increased risk for weight gain. Educational interventions and policies are needed to curtail weight-related mistreatment among youth.
Prevention interventions that address the broad spectrum of weight-related disorders, enhance skill development for behavioral change, and provide support for dealing with potentially harmful social norms are warranted in light of the high prevalence and co-occurrence of obesity and unhealthy weight-related behaviors.
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