Weight status and psychosocial factors predict the emergence of dieting in preadolescent girls

Abstract

Objective: The current study tested a longitudinal model predicting the emergence of dieting in girls (n = 183) at age 9 years using data from the same girls measured at ages 5 and 7.

Method: Variables related to the girls' weight status, psychological health, body satisfaction, maternal child feeding practices, and family environment are included in a hierarchical regression model predicting the emergence of dieting in girls. Interactions of girls' weight status with other variables in the model are also included in the last step.

Results: Results indicate that the model accounts for 45% of the variance in the outcome scores and that variables across constructs have significant contributions to the model. Results also show that girls' weight status, both independently and as an interaction term, accounts for a large proportion of variance in this model.

Conclusion: Weight status at age 5 years is a critical factor related to the emergence of dieting in young girls.

FIGURE 1

Predictors of the emergence of dieting. Step 1 = body mass index (BMI), R² = .10; Step 2 = Depression, ΔR² = .05; Step 3 = self-competence, ΔR² = .06; Step 4 = maternal feeding practices, ΔR² = .01; Step 5 = marital relationship, ΔR² = .04; Step 6 = BMI × Depression, ΔR² = .04; Step 7 = BMI × Self-Competence, ΔR² = .12; Step 8 = BMI × Child Feeding Practices, ΔR² = .03.