Project EAT Research Articles

Steroid use among adolescents: findings from Project EAT

To explore the prevalence and correlates of using steroids for the purpose of gaining muscle among adolescent males and females. More specifically, the study objectives were to: (a) assess the prevalence of anabolic steroid use in a large population-based sample of adolescent males and females; and (b) identify personal, socio-environmental, and behavioral factors related to the health of adolescents that use anabolic steroids. The study population included 4746 middle and high school students from St. Paul/Minneapolis public schools who completed surveys and anthropometric measurements as part of a population-based study of eating patterns and weight concerns among teenagers (Project EAT: Eating Among Teens). Steroid use and a range of socio-environmental, personal, and behavioral factors hypothesized to be correlates of steroid use were assessed. Associations were examined separately among males and females through comparisons of means (unadjusted and adjusted for grade-level and race) for continuous variables, and percentages, and odds ratios for dichotomized variables. Steroid use was more common in males (5.4%, vs. 2.9% of females), non-Caucasians (especially Hmong, a subset of the Asian-American population), and in middle school students (as compared to high school). In males, steroid use was associated with poorer self-esteem and higher rates of depressed mood and attempted suicide, poorer knowledge and attitudes about health, greater participation in sports that emphasize weight and shape, greater parental concern about weight, and higher rates of disordered eating and substance use. Among females, steroid use was less consistent in its associations with other variables, although overall, a similar pattern of results emerged. Anabolic steroid use in adolescence is associated with poorer health-related attitudes and behaviors and exposure to socio-environmental influences encouraging weight preoccupation. Attention needs to be directed toward youth who may be at increased risk for steroid use within clinical and community-based settings

Weight-teasing among adolescents: correlations with weight status and disordered eating behaviors.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of perceived weight-teasing and associations with unhealthy weight-control 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. 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. 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) > or = 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 non-overweight 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. 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.