Abstract
BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to examine specific energy balance-related behaviors (sedentary behaviors, physical activity, and dietary) associating with adolescent weight loss intent using data from the 2017 US Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study that employed a multi-stage cluster sampling procedure to obtain a representative sample of US adolescents. The target population consisted of public and private high schoolers from grades 9 through 12. The number of sampled adolescents was 18,324 with 14,765 of the 18,324 sampled students (Mean age = 15.9 (1.3) years) submitting questionnaires with usable data (81% response rate). The outcome was intent to lose weight with specific energy-balance related behaviors examined as predictor variables. A weighted logistic regression model was employed to examine the associations between sedentary behaviors, physical activity, and dietary-related variables with weight loss intent controlling for age, sex, BMI percentile, and race/ethnicity.ResultsVariables associating with adolescent intent to lose weight included 3 or more hours of video game playing (OR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.01–1.31, p = 0.028), achieving 60 min of physical activity daily (OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.59–0.73, p < 0.001), daily breakfast consumption (OR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.67–0.87, p < 0.001) and weekly salad consumption (OR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.12–1.52, p = 0.001).ConclusionsMeeting physical activity guidelines and regular breakfast consumption associated with lower odds of weight loss intent and video game playing and salad consumption associated with higher odds of weight loss intent in a representative sample of US adolescents. Therefore, there is a discordance between adolescent weight loss intent and the engagement in specific energy balance-related health behaviors, particularly physical activity.
Highlights
Adolescent obesity is continuing to be a major public health problem, with a US obesity prevalence of 20.6%, adolescents are at risk for poor health [1, 2]
After adjusting for age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI) percentile, and race/ethnicity, the energy balance-related behaviors that associated with higher odds of weight loss intent included playing video games for 3 or more hours per day (p = 0.028) and regular salad consumption (p = 0.001)
Health behaviors associating with lower odds of weight loss intent included meeting daily physical activity guidelines (p < 0.001) and daily breakfast consumption (p < 0.001)
Summary
Adolescent obesity is continuing to be a major public health problem, with a US obesity prevalence of 20.6%, adolescents are at risk for poor health [1, 2]. Many nations throughout the world have identified youth overweight and obesity as a health issue and an economic issue because of the high health care costs accompanying excess body weight [3, 4]. Overweight and obesity are commonly defined as an excess of body fatness that compromises health and daily function [5]. Not without limitations at the individual level, Body Mass Index (BMI), a ratio of weight (in kilograms) to height squared (in meters), commonly serves as a screening measure for overweight and obesity in both youth and adults [6]. Excess body weight is thought to be primarily a function of positive energy-balance where total energy (kilocalories) consumed is consistently higher than total energy expended; energy balance-related health behaviors greatly influence overweight and obesity risk [7]. The purpose of this study was to examine specific energy balance-related behaviors (sedentary behaviors, physical activity, and dietary) associating with adolescent weight loss intent using data from the 2017 US Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
