Unveiling Trends, Demographic Differences, and the Importance of Public Health Surveillance: Exploring Unhealthy Weight Control Behaviors Among Arizona Youth

Abstract

Objective

Disordered eating and unhealthy weight control behaviors (UWCBs) among United States teens are critical yet understudied public health issues, disproportionately affecting diverse demographic groups. This study examines trends in UWCBs among Arizona youth from 2011 to 2021 and documents differences by demographics and weight perception.

Method

Data from the 2011–2021 Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a biennial survey conducted among students in grades 9–12 (N = 1181 in 2021), were analyzed, with the focus on the 2021 data. This multi-year cross-sectional data include questions about weight perception, desire to control weight, and engagement in UWCBs. Logistic regressions were then conducted to examine their associations.

Results

A notable increase in UWCBs was revealed from 2011 to 2021 (19.4%–29.1%), particularly post-2017. In 2021, 44.3% of girls and 53.1% of LGBQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, and other identities) teens reported UWCBs. Teens aspiring to lose weight were 9.6 times more likely to engage in UWCBs than their peers who did not desire weight change (OR = 9.6, 95% CI [4.6–20.0]) after adjusting for demographics and body mass index.

Discussion

These findings underscore the urgency of comprehensive interventions to mitigate UWCBs and the need for strategies addressing contributing factors in diverse youth populations.