WASHINGTON -- The prevalence of adolescent obesity has doubled over the last 30 years and can lead to serious medical problems, like high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer. According to a new study, certain weight-control behaviors may actually contribute more to weight problems than other behaviors. Furthermore, parents who are overweight may also contribute to their adolescent's future weight problem. These findings are reported on in the April issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
In this study, psychologist Eric Stice, Ph.D., of the University of Texas at Austin and co-authors found that 496 adolescent girls (11-15 year olds) who used radical weight-control, were depressed and had obese parents were more likely to become obese. On the other hand, the authors found that eating high fat foods, binge eating or infrequent exercise were not as much linked to predicting future obesity as one might expect.
But other weight-control behaviors, especially those that involved vomiting or laxative abuse, promoted weight gain more than weight loss, said Dr. Stice. These behaviors can lead to increased metabolic efficiency or alter the homeostatic processes. Erratic eating also promotes weight gain because a person does not get regular delivery of nutrients, said Stice, which can alter a person's physiological responses and disrupt a person's normal appetite pattern.
Depressive symptoms also contributed to weight gain among adolescent girls. Besides the reasons for overeating to comfort or distract one's self, this finding in the study also showed that lack of serotonin that is usually inherent in depression also leads individuals to consume excessive amounts of carbohydrate-rich foods in an effort to regulate his or her serotonin levels. These foods can lead to gaining weight if one is not careful.
Furthermore, an adolescent'
'"/>
Contact: Pam Willenz
pwillenz@apa.org
American Psychological Association
10-Apr-2005
Page: 1 2 Related medicine news :1.
Certain combination therapy found more effective for treating malaria in African children2.
Certain types of cancer becoming more common, while rates of others decreasing3.
Certain acne treatment does not increase symptoms of depression in adolescents4.
How to lose weight and not go hungry: HU researcher develops drug that mimics feeling of fullness5.
Born to lose: How birth weight affects adult health and success6.
Studies show role of age, gender, race and weight on cancer risk and treatment7.
Healthy body weight throughout adulthood may help delay disability8.
Full-term, low-birth-weight babies at significantly greater risk for early respiratory symptoms9.
Alzheimers weight gain initiative also improved patients intellectual abilities10.
Low physical activity can improve fitness levels for sedentary, overweight postmenopausal women11.
Calcium plus vitamin D supplements may help prevent weight gain in postmenopausal women