Teens That Weigh In Regularly Are Healthier
A new study suggests that teenagers who regularly use the bathroom scale might be more likely than their peers to take healthy measures to control their weight.
The findings, which were reported in the Journal of Adolescent Health, appose those in the earlier study of teenage girls that link regular weight checks to a higher risk of unhealthy weight-control habits.
Researchers found that among the 130 adolescents they surveyed, those who weighed themselves once a week or more were more likely to report healthy weight-control tactics, such as regularly exercising or eating less junk food and more fruits and vegetables.
In contrast, they were not at increased risk of unhealthy measures, like fasting, abusing laxatives or vomiting.
Teens in the study were all overweight or had been overweight in the past two years before losing weight. Forty-three percent overall said they weigh themselves at least once per week, while 57 percent weighed in less often or not at all.
It is not clear whether regular weight checks encouraged some teens to adopt healthier lifestyle and lose weight. Senior researcher Dr. Kerri N. Boutelle, an associate professor pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, said that the findings suggest that regular weigh-ins can be part of a healthy weight-loss plan for teenagers.
She told Reuters Health that her advice to parents is that if their children are overweight, then checking in with the scale can help them "self-regulate" their weight. Boutelle and her colleagues say that for the same as adults, an awareness of weight fluctuations can help teenagers adjust their diet and exercise levels accordingly.
However, obsessive weighing might signal problems with body image, possibly increasing the risk of unhealthy weight-loss measures and eating disorders. Boutelle said that if a teenager is checking his or her weight multiple times a day, then that should raise parents’ concerns.
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