J Eat Disord. 2021 Mar 10;9(1):37. doi: 10.1186/s40337-021-00391-y.
Self-weighing among young adults: who weighs themselves and for whom does weighing affect mood? A cross-sectional study of a population-based sample.
Journal of eating disorders
Samantha L Hahn, Carly R Pacanowski, Katie A Loth, Jonathan Miller, Marla E Eisenberg, Dianne Neumark-Sztainer
Affiliations
Affiliations
- Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. [email protected].
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. [email protected].
- Department of Behavioral Health and Nutrition, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA.
- Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
PMID: 33691780
PMCID: PMC7945352 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-021-00391-y
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Self-weighing is widespread among young adults and is sometimes recommended by healthcare providers for weight management. The present study aims to deepen our understanding of who is frequently self-weighing among young adults, and to examine for whom self-weighing impacts mood based on weighing frequency and other eating and weight-related characteristics.
METHODS: Survey data were collected from a large population-based sample of young adults (31.1 ± 1.6y) participating in Project EAT-IV (n = 1719). Cross-sectional data were stratified across sex and analyzed with chi-square, t-tests, and linear and logistic regressions controlling for age, ethnicity/race, education level, and income.
RESULTS: Self-weighing frequency was higher among male and female young adults with a current eating disorder, those trying to lose weight or who endorsed any disordered eating behaviors or cognition, and females with higher BMI. Young adult females were significantly more likely than males to report that self-weighing impacted their mood (53% vs 27%, p < 0.05). Among both male and female young adults, there was a higher probability of participants reporting that self-weighing impacted their mood among those who were self-weighing more frequently, had higher BMI, were trying to lose weight, and endorsed disordered eating behaviors or cognitions.
CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that for many young adults, particularly females and those with weight-related concerns, self-weighing is a behavior that comes with emotional valence. The emotional consequences of self-weighing should be considered when making public health and clinical recommendations regarding the usefulness of self-weighing.
Keywords: Eating disorders; Mood; Self-monitoring; Self-weighing; Weight management; Young adults
References
- Int J Eat Disord. 2013 Jul;46(5):433-9 - PubMed
- J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012 Jan;112(1):99-103 - PubMed
- J Health Psychol. 2009 Jan;14(1):27-35 - PubMed
- Psychol Bull. 2002 Sep;128(5):825-48 - PubMed
- J Adolesc Health. 2012 Nov;51(5):468-74 - PubMed
- J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2015 Nov;56(11):1141-64 - PubMed
- Int J Epidemiol. 2014 Jun;43(3):962-70 - PubMed
- Prev Med. 2003 Sep;37(3):198-208 - PubMed
- Public Health Nutr. 2012 Jan;15(1):126-41 - PubMed
- Body Image. 2006 Sep;3(3):211-27 - PubMed
- Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2009 Feb 16;6:10 - PubMed
- Med Clin North Am. 2018 Jan;102(1):183-197 - PubMed
- J Nutr Educ Behav. 2015 Nov-Dec;47(6):506-515.e1 - PubMed
- Psychosom Med. 1982 Sep;44(4):341-51 - PubMed
- Am J Clin Nutr. 1991 Apr;53(4):839-46 - PubMed
- Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2013 Mar 25;10:37 - PubMed
- Int J Eat Disord. 2004 Jan;35(1):93-101 - PubMed
- Int J Eat Disord. 2016 Aug;49(8):817-21 - PubMed
- J Adolesc Health. 2006 Dec;39(6):811-8 - PubMed
- Br J Psychiatry. 2016 May;208(5):414-5 - PubMed
- J Consult Clin Psychol. 2007 Aug;75(4):629-38 - PubMed
- Curr Obes Rep. 2015 Mar;4(1):65-72 - PubMed
- Stat Med. 2009 Dec 30;28(30):3761-81 - PubMed
- Body Image. 2013 Jun;10(3):406-10 - PubMed
- Ann Behav Med. 2005 Dec;30(3):210-6 - PubMed
- PLoS One. 2020 Apr 30;15(4):e0232152 - PubMed
- Am Psychol. 2007 Apr;62(3):181-98 - PubMed
- Nutrients. 2017 Nov 22;9(11): - PubMed
- Circulation. 2014 Jun 24;129(25 Suppl 2):S102-38 - PubMed
- Int J Eat Disord. 2021 Jan 5;: - PubMed
- J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Jan;111(1):92-102 - PubMed
- Am J Public Health. 2002 May;92(5):844-51 - PubMed
- J Psychosom Res. 2002 Nov;53(5):963-74 - PubMed
- J Consult Clin Psychol. 2018 Aug;86(8):677-687 - PubMed
- Eur Eat Disord Rev. 2017 May;25(3):165-171 - PubMed
- J Adolesc Health. 2012 Jan;50(1):80-6 - PubMed
- Health Psychol. 2003 Jan;22(1):88-98 - PubMed
- J Phys Act Health. 2013 Jan;10(1):85-96 - PubMed
- Biol Psychiatry. 2018 Sep 1;84(5):345-354 - PubMed
- J Am Coll Health. 2016;64(3):195-204 - PubMed
- Biol Psychiatry. 2007 Feb 1;61(3):348-58 - PubMed
- J Eat Disord. 2013 Apr 25;1:15 - PubMed
- Eat Behav. 2011 Aug;12(3):192-9 - PubMed
- J Abnorm Psychol. 2017 Jul;126(5):495-505 - PubMed
- Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2010 Sep;33(3):611-27 - PubMed
- Health Psychol Rev. 2016 Jun;10(2):187-203 - PubMed
Publication Types
Grant support