The Concepts of Weight Control and Dietary Behavior in High School Seniors

Hye-Kyung Chung; Hae-Young Lee

doi:10.4163/kjn.2010.43.6.607

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Chung and Lee: The Concepts of Weight Control and Dietary Behavior in High School Seniors

Research Article

Korean Journal of Nutrition

Korean Journal of Nutrition 2010; 43(6): 607-619.

Published online: 31 December 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4163/kjn.2010.43.6.607

The Concepts of Weight Control and Dietary Behavior in High School Seniors

Hye-Kyung Chung¹, Hae-Young Lee²

¹Department of Nutrition Services, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul 135-720, Korea.

²Department of Food and Nutrition, Sangji University, Wonju 220-702, Korea.

To whom correspondence should be addressed. (hy1317@sangji.ac.kr)

Received 11 October 2010 Revised 20 November 2010 Accepted 23 November 2010

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the concepts of body image, weight control and food behavior in 520 Korean high school seniors from Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate body image, concern of weight control, experience of weight control, the first time to try weight control, plan for weight control, reasons of weight control and food behaviors related with weight control. Anthropometric parameters such as weight and height were measured. Finally, data from 497 high school seniors were used for statistical analysis. The results were as follows. Many subjects had misperceptions. Among the subjects who perceived themselves as 'fat', 57.8% were normal weight and 0.5% underweight. Among the subjects who perceived themselves as 'thin', 59.5% were normal weight, 0.9% overweight and 0.9% obese. Girls were more concerned about weight control than boys (4.20 vs. 3.66). Weight loss had been experienced by 61.5% of the subjects and weight gain by 12.8%. First weight control was attempted by 71.3% of the subject at high school and by 28.7% at middle school. The majority of subjects planned for weight control before their freshman year. The boys choose 'health' as the primary reason for weight control, whereas the girls chose 'good appearance'. The total score of food behaviors varied significantly according to BMI. Overweight and obese subjects had more desirable food behaviors than normal weight and underweight subjects (24.00, 24.06 vs. 21.92, 21.52). However, total scores of food behaviors showed no variation according to sex, weight control attempt and body image. In conclusion, the high school seniors had misconceptions about body image and weight control. They were exposed to a high risk of inappropriate weight control and food behaviors. Therefore, proper nutritional education programs need to be developed for high school seniors to prevent nutrition problems related to weight control and to maintain desirable food behaviors.

Keywords: high school seniors, body image, weight control, food behavior

Figures and Tables

Table 1

General characteristics of respondents

1) BMI: body mass index (kg/m²) 2) N (%) 3) χ²-value

^***: p < 0.001

Table 2

Body image according to distribution of BMI in total, male and female respondents

1) N (%) 2) The no. of male and female didn't equal that of total because of missing data in anything among three variables

^***: p < 0.001

Table 3

The concern of weight control

1) Likert-type 5 point scale: 1 = highly unconcerned, 5 = highly concerned

^***: p < 0.001 abc: Tukey multiple comparison

Table 4

The experience of the weight control attempt

1) N (%) 2) The no. of sub-total didn't equal no. of total because of missing data in anything among variables

^***: p < 0.001

Table 5

The first time to weight control attempt1)

1) For respondents having an experience of the weight control attempt 2) N (%) 3) The no. of sub-total didn't equal no. of total because of missing data in anything among variables

^*: p < 0.05

Table 6

The plan for weight control

1) N (%) 2) The no. of sub-total didn't equal no. of total because of missing data in anything among variables

^*: p < 0.01, ^**: p < 0.001

Table 7

Reasons of try to control his/her weight1)

1) For respondents planing for weight control, Multiple choice 2) N (%) 3) The no. of sub-total didn't equal no. of total because of missing data in anything among variables

^*: p < 0.05, ^**: p < 0.01, ^***: p < 0.001

Table 8

Comparison of food behavior related with overweight by gender and weight control attempt

1) Each item was measured by 3-point scales ranging from 0 (often) to 2 (never). The higher a score is, the more positive behavior subjects hold 2) These two items were recorded reversely 3) Mean ± SD 4) Total score of 20 items (possible score: 0-40)

^*: p < 0.05, ^**: p < 0.01, ^***: p < 0.001, ab: Tukey multiple comparison

Table 9

Comparison of food behavior related with overweight by BMI and perceptions of body shape

^*: p < 0.05, ^**: p < 0.01, ^***: p < 0.001 abc: Tukey multiple comparison

Notes

This research was supported by Sangji University Research Fund, 2008.

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