Biomedical subjects

N H Falkner

Publications and source records attributed to N H Falkner.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Social, educational, and psychological correlates of weight status in adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this research was to examine the social, educational, and psychological correlates of weight status in an adolescent population. It was hypothesized that obese adolescents would differ on psychological, social, and educational variables compared with their non-overweight peers. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: In this cross-sectional study, a population-based sample of 4742 male and 5201 female public school students in the 7th, 9th, and 11th grades responded anonymously to a classroom administered questionnaire. Body mass index was calculated from self-reported height and weight and categorized into four classes of weight status: underweight (<15th percentile), average weight (15th to 85th percentile), overweight (>85th to 95th percentile), and obese (>95th percentile). The questionnaire also included questions about social experiences, psychological well-being, educational experiences, and future goals. Associations of weight status with social, psychological, and educational variables and future goals were explored. RESULTS: After adjustment for grade level, race, and parental socioeconomic status, obese girls, when compared with their average weight counterparts, were 1.63 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16, 2.30) times less likely to hang out with friends in the last week, 1.49 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.98) times more likely to report serious emotional problems in the last year, 1.79 (95% CI: 1.20, 2.65) times more likely to report hopelessness, and 1.73 (95% CI: 1.21, 1.98) times more likely to report a suicide attempt in the last year. Obese girls were also 1.51 (95% CI: 1.09, 2.10) times more likely to report being held back a grade and 2.09 (95% CI: 1.35, 3.24) times more likely to consider themselves poor students compared with average weight girls. Compared with their average weight counterparts, obese boys were 1.91 (95% CI: 1.43, 2.54) times less likely to hang out with friends in the last week, 1.34 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.70) times more likely to feel that their friends do not care about them, 1.38 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.76) times more likely to report having serious problems in the last year, 1.46 (95% CI: 1.05, 0.03) times more likely to consider themselves poor students, and 2.18 (95% CI: 1.45, 3.30) times more likely to expect to quit school. Compared with average weight boys, underweight boys were 1.67 (95% CI: 1.30, 2.13) times more likely to report hanging out with friends in the last week, 1.22 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.49) times more likely to report disliking school, and 1.40 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.86) times more likely to consider themselves poor students. DISCUSSION: Associations of weight status with social relationships, school experiences, psychological well-being, and some future aspirations were observed. Among girls, the pattern of observations indicates that obese girls reported more adverse social, educational, and psychological correlates. Obese as well as underweight boys also reported some adverse social and educational correlates. These findings contribute to an understanding of how adolescent experiences vary by weight status and suggest social and psychological risks associated with not meeting weight and body shape ideals embedded in the larger culture.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Mistreatment due to weight: prevalence and sources of perceived mistreatment in women and men.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research has documented prejudicial attitudes and discrimination against overweight people. Yet the extent to which overweight people themselves perceive that they have been mistreated because of their weight has not been carefully studied. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of perceived mistreatment due to weight and sources of perceived mistreatment. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A non-clinical sample of healthy adults (187 men and 800 women) enrolled in a weight gain prevention program comprised the study population. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure perceived mistreatment due to weight. RESULTS: Overall, 22% of women and 17% of men reported weight-related mistreatment. The most commonly reported sources of mistreatment among women were strangers (12.5%) and a spouse or loved one (11.9%). Men were most likely to report mistreatment by a spouse or loved one (10.2%) and friends (7.5%). Somewhat surprisingly, sex differences in perceived weight-related mistreatment were significant only for stranger as the source. Perceived weight-related mistreatment was positively associated with body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.39, p<0.0001). Reported mistreatment was nearly ten times as pervalent among individuals in the highest quartile of the BMI distribution (42.5%) than among those in the lowest BMI quartile (5.7%), but was significantly greater than zero in all but the very lean. DISCUSSION: Perceived mistreatment due to weight is a common experience and is not restricted to the morbidly obese. Results are discussed in light of the sociocultural value for thinness.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Sociodemographic and personal characteristics of adolescents engaged in weight loss and weight/muscle gain behaviors: who is doing what?

BACKGROUND: Prevalence rates of behaviors aimed at weight loss and weight/muscle gain among adolescents were examined across sociodemographic and personal anthropometric variables to provide insight into these behaviors and identify high-risk subgroups. METHODS: A statewide representative sample of 7th, 9th, and 11th grade public school students from Connecticut completed a classroom-administered survey on adolescent health in 1995-1996. The study sample in the present analysis included 9,118 adolescents. RESULTS: The most frequently reported weight control behavior was exercise followed by dieting. Disordered eating (vomiting, diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics) over the previous week was reported by 7.4% of the girls and 3.1% of the boys. Steroids were used by 0.5% of the girls and 2.3% of the boys. Girls in the highest BMI category were at greatest risk for disordered eating behaviors while boys in the lowest BMI category were at greatest risk for steroid use. African American and Hispanic girls were less likely than Caucasians to diet and exercise, but were more likely to report behaviors aimed at weight gain. Relatively high rates of disordered eating behaviors were reported by African American and Hispanic boys. Older girls reported slightly more dieting and disordered eating and less exercise than younger girls. Youth from low socioeconomic backgrounds were at greater risk for disordered eating than youth from high socioeconomic backgrounds. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a need to widen our scope of thinking with regard to who is concerned with their body shape/size and at risk for engaging in potentially dangerous behaviors aimed at either weight loss or muscle gain.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Disordered eating among adolescents with chronic illness and disability: the role of family and other social factors.

OBJECTIVES: To compare prevalence rates of weight-control behaviors among adolescents with and without chronic illness and to explore the role of familial and other social factors on associations between disordered eating and chronic illness. DESIGN AND SETTING: Survey conducted in public schools in Connecticut. PARTICIPANTS: A representative statewide population-based sample of 9343 7th-, 9th-, and 11th-grade public school students, of whom 1021 reported a chronic illness. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Disordered eating (vomiting, diet pills, and laxatives), dieting, and exercise for weight control; chronic illness status; family structure, family communication, parental caring, parental monitoring, parental expectations, peer support, and sexual and physical abuse. RESULTS: Adolescents with chronic illness were at greater risk for disordered eating than youth without chronic illness, after controlling for sociodemographic variables (girls: odds ratio, 1.59 [95% confidence interval, 1.19-2.14]; boys: odds ratio, 2.22 [95% confidence interval, 1.49-3.32]). Adolescents with chronic illness were less likely to come from 2-parent families; reported lower levels of family communication, parental caring, and parental expectations; and reported more sexual and physical abuse than youth without chronic illness. Male adolescents with chronic illness were more likely to report low peer support and low parental monitoring. Most of these familial-social factors were also associated with an increased prevalence of disordered eating. After familial-social factors were controlled for, however, associations between disordered eating and chronic illness remained statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with chronic illness are at greater risk for disordered eating behaviors than youth without chronic illness. Factors other than the familial-social factors assessed in this study may be contributing to this increased risk. In the clinical setting, youth with chronic illness need to be screened for disordered eating and familial and other social concerns.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Consumer preferences in format and type of community-based weight control programs.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide further information about preferences for types and formats (e.g., correspondence vs. face to face) of eating and exercise programs, actual participation rates in a variety of offered programs, and characteristics of program participants vs. nonparticipants. DESIGN: Over a 3-year period, a large sample of community volunteers was given the opportunity to participate in various forms of diet and exercise programs as part of a weight gain prevention study. SETTING: The study was conducted at a university and three local health department sites. SUBJECTS: Subjects in the study were 616 individuals participating in the Pound of Prevention study (POP), a 3-year randomized evaluation of an intervention for preventing weight gain. MEASURES: The primary outcomes assessed were participation rates for each program offering. Program participants were also compared to those who did not participate on demographic characteristics, smoking, diet behavior, exercise behavior, and weight concern. RESULTS: Survey results indicated that correspondence formats for delivery of health education programs were rated as more desirable than face-to-face formats. Participation for program offering ranged from 0 to 16% of the study population. Participation data were consistent with survey results and showed participants' preference for correspondence formats even more strongly. Program offering attracted health-conscious participants with higher education and income levels. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that some community members will get interested and take part in low-cost, minimal contact programs for exercise and weight control. Future research efforts should focus on investigating ways to increase participation in brief or minimal contact programs, particularly among groups that may be difficult to reach and at high risk for the development of obesity.

Adult↗