Dissatisfaction with Body Weight among Polish Adolescents Is Related to Unhealthy Dietary Behaviors.

Agata Wawrzyniak,Danuta Gajewska,Jadwiga Hamulka,Wacław Laskowski,Joanna Myszkowska-Ryciak,Ewa Lange,Anna Harton

doi:10.3390/nu12092658

Abstract

The aims of the study were to determine the socio-demographic factors that may affect body weight dissatisfaction and to analyze the relationship between eating habits and dissatisfaction with body weight among a national random sample of Polish adolescents aged 13–19 years. Data on gender, age, level of education, body weight status, screen time, body weight satisfaction and selected nutritional behaviors were collected using a questionnaire. Body mass status was assessed based on weight and height measurements. A total of 14,044 students from 207 schools participated in the study. A significant effect of gender, age, level of education, body weight status and screen time status on the participants’ dissatisfaction with the body weight was observed. The greater prevalence of body weight satisfaction was observed among boys, younger subjects, secondary school students, adolescents with normal body weight status and those with screen time up to 2 h. Whereas girls, older study participants (17–19 years old), overweight/obese adolescents and subjects with screen time over 4 h were more often dissatisfied with body weight. Furthermore, it has been shown that participants dissatisfied with their body weight less often met dietary recommendations. These findings can help dietitians, nutritionists and healthcare professionals to provide age-specific and gender-specific nutrition strategies to promote healthy lifestyle among school-going adolescents.

Highlights

The process of maturation, called adolescence, depends on genetic, sexual, environmental and cultural factors
A detailed description of the program as well as the research methodology has been described in previously published articles on nutritional behaviors [15], body weight status [16] and screen time among Polish adolescents [17]
The greater prevalence of body weight satisfaction was observed among boys, younger subjects (i.e., 13–14 years), secondary school students, adolescents with normal body weight status and those with screen time up to 2 h

Summary

Introduction

The process of maturation, called adolescence, depends on genetic, sexual, environmental and cultural factors This process is characterized by transformations in the body structure and in the physical appearance (biological maturation), psyche (mental maturation), attitude towards sex (psychosexual maturation), in fulfilling the social roles (social maturation). All these factors affect the perception of one’s body and body satisfaction [1,2]. During adolescence, eating habits related to body weight, body weight dissatisfaction and health develop intensively [3] Nutritional expertise in this area and the determination of the relationship between dissatisfaction with body weight. The mass media promote a model of slim figure in women and muscular/athletic in men, advertising food products and diets with inadequate nutritional value, which can lead to undesirable nutritional and health behaviors and non-acceptance of body weight [5,6,7,8]

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Discussion

Conclusion