Skip to main content
Journal cover image

Self-weighing in adolescents: helpful or harmful? Longitudinal associations with body weight changes and disordered eating.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Neumark-Sztainer, D; van den Berg, P; Hannan, PJ; Story, M
Published in: J Adolesc Health
December 2006

PURPOSE: This study addresses the question: Is frequent self-weighing related to changes in body weight and disordered eating behaviors over a 5-year period among adolescent females and males? METHODS: Project EAT is a 5-year population-based longitudinal study. Participants completed surveys exploring factors associated with eating and weight concerns. Participants included 2516 adolescents who were transitioning from early to middle adolescence (younger cohort) and from middle to late adolescence (older cohort). RESULTS: In the older cohort of females and in both cohorts of males, frequent self-weighing at Time 1 was not associated with weight changes at Time 2 (5 years later), after adjusting for Time 1 weight status and sociodemographic characteristics. In the younger cohort of females, Time 1 frequent self-weighing predicted weight increases at Time 2. In both cohorts of females, but not in males, Time 1 frequent self-weighing predicted higher prevalences of Time 2 disordered eating behaviors, including unhealthy weight control behaviors and binge eating, after adjusting for Time 1 behavioral outcomes, weight status, and sociodemographic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent self-weighing was not associated with weight change, with the exception of predicting weight increases in younger females. In females, but not males, self-weighing predicted a higher frequency of binge eating and unhealthy weight control behaviors. Although further research is needed to explore the potential merits and problems associated with regular self-weighing, the findings suggest that population-based obesity prevention strategies targeting adolescents should avoid messages likely to lead to frequent self-weighing.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

J Adolesc Health

DOI

EISSN

1879-1972

Publication Date

December 2006

Volume

39

Issue

6

Start / End Page

811 / 818

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Sex Distribution
  • Self Care
  • Public Health
  • Prevalence
  • Obesity
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Humans
  • Health Behavior
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Neumark-Sztainer, D., van den Berg, P., Hannan, P. J., & Story, M. (2006). Self-weighing in adolescents: helpful or harmful? Longitudinal associations with body weight changes and disordered eating. J Adolesc Health, 39(6), 811–818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.07.002
Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne, Patricia van den Berg, Peter J. Hannan, and Mary Story. “Self-weighing in adolescents: helpful or harmful? Longitudinal associations with body weight changes and disordered eating.J Adolesc Health 39, no. 6 (December 2006): 811–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.07.002.
Neumark-Sztainer D, van den Berg P, Hannan PJ, Story M. Self-weighing in adolescents: helpful or harmful? Longitudinal associations with body weight changes and disordered eating. J Adolesc Health. 2006 Dec;39(6):811–8.
Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne, et al. “Self-weighing in adolescents: helpful or harmful? Longitudinal associations with body weight changes and disordered eating.J Adolesc Health, vol. 39, no. 6, Dec. 2006, pp. 811–18. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2006.07.002.
Neumark-Sztainer D, van den Berg P, Hannan PJ, Story M. Self-weighing in adolescents: helpful or harmful? Longitudinal associations with body weight changes and disordered eating. J Adolesc Health. 2006 Dec;39(6):811–818.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Adolesc Health

DOI

EISSN

1879-1972

Publication Date

December 2006

Volume

39

Issue

6

Start / End Page

811 / 818

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Sex Distribution
  • Self Care
  • Public Health
  • Prevalence
  • Obesity
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Humans
  • Health Behavior