Weight, weight perception, and eating disturbances in American high school females from 1999-2013

background: While Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data has been used to examine weight, weight perception, and weight loss behaviors, it has not been used to investigate whether racial/ethnic differences in these variables have been consistent across the years.  Such differences are known to change over time and have relevance to public health topics such as weight management and eating disorders.

purpose: This study examines (1) current and past differences between White, Black, and Latina high school girls regarding weight, weight perception, weight perception accuracy, and weight loss behaviors and (2) the relationship between weight perception accuracy and weight loss behaviors.

methods: Data from years 1999-2013 of the YRBS were analyzed in SAS 9.4 using PROC SURVEYLOGISTIC.  As changes over time were non-linear, interaction terms were used to test differences in years (α=0.05).

results: Black girls have been consistently less likely than White girls to have overweight misperceptions or to be trying to lose weight.  In 2013, Latina girls were more likely to use unhealthy weight loss behaviors (UWLB) than White girls (OR=1.5, p<= 0.001), a significant departure from previous years.  Trying to lose weight was more common among those with overweight misperceptions (OR=13.401, p<=0.001) and less common among those with underweight perceptions (OR=0.263, p<=0.001).  UWLB were less common among those with overweight misperceptions (OR=0.263, p<= 0.001). 

conclusions: Racial/ethnic differences in weight-related variables have persisted in adolescent girls.   Accuracy of weight perception is associated with weight loss behaviors, which is important for prevention of both obesity and UWLB.