Articlehybrid2019

Gender Norms and Weight Control Behaviors in U.S. Adolescents: A Prospective Cohort Study (1994–2002)

Jason M. Nagata · Benjamin W. Domingue · Gary Lee Darmstadt · Ann M. Weber · Valerie Meausoone · Beniamino Cislaghi +1 more

60 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Adolescent Health

No readable copy stored yet — this record is metadata only.

No open-access location is known for this record yet.

Literature note Cite in a project Citation map

Eating Disorders and Behaviors Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet

Abstract

PURPOSE: The aim of this article was to determine the relationship between gender norms and weight control behaviors in U.S. adolescents. METHODS: We analyzed prospective cohort data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 9,861), at baseline in 1994-1995 (ages 11-18 years, Wave I), 1-year follow-up (ages 12-19 years, Wave II), and 7-year follow-up (ages 18-26 years, Wave III). The primary exposure variable was a measure of one's gender normativity based on the degree to which males and females behave in ways that are similar to the behaviors of their same-gender peers. The outcome variable was an individual's weight control attempts (trying to lose or gain weight) and behaviors (dieting, fasting/skipping meals, vomiting, or weight-loss pills/laxatives/diuretics to lose weight or ate different/more foods than usual or taking supplements to gain weight). RESULTS: In logistic regression analyses controlling for potential confounders, a higher baseline individual gender normativity score (higher femininity in females and higher masculinity in males) was associated with weight loss attempts (β = .10; p = .01) and weight loss behaviors (β = .18; p < .001) in girls but was associated with weight gain attempts (β = .18; p < .001) and behaviors (β = .16; p < .001) in boys at 1-year follow-up. Higher individual gender normativity score was protective of weight loss attempts (β = -.15; p < .001) and weight loss behaviors (β = -.17; p < .001) in males but not females at 7-year follow-up. Loess plots provided visualizations of significant relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Gender norms may reinforce a thinner body ideal for girls but a larger ideal for boys.

Paper brief

Loading…

Cite this work

Citation unavailable for this work.

BibTeX RIS CSL-JSON

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Citations in this library

Citation map →

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 60 citations exist upstream.

References

2007Risk factors for eating disorders.2009Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders 2011Dieting and Disordered Eating Behaviors from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Findings from a 10-Year Longitudinal Study 2007Shared Risk and Protective Factors for Overweight and Disordered Eating in Adolescents 2016Understanding Factors that Shape Gender Attitudes in Early Adolescence Globally: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review 1999Evolving ideals of male body image as seen through action toys 2005Development of the Conformity to Feminine Norms Inventory 1976Cinderella's Stepsisters: A Feminist Perspective on Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia

Cited by

2019Adolescence and Gender Equality in Health 2024Male Gender Expressivity and Diagnosis and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease Risks in Men

Explore the map →

Papers that cite the same references — the relational fallback while embeddings are still backfilling.

Imported from OpenAlex (CC0) — nothing here is generated.