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The Relationship Between Body Weight Perceptions, Weight Control Behaviours and Smoking Status Among Adolescents

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Abstract

Objectives: This paper examines the relation between body weight perceptions, weight control behaviours and smoking status among a representative sample of Ontario students.

Methods: Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between smoking status and perception of being overweight, and between smoking status and specific weight control behaviours.

Results: Among females, the odds of being a smoker were significantly higher among those who perceived themselves to be overweight and who had employed weight control behaviours in the last 12 months. Among males, the adjusted odds of being a smoker was higher only among those who skipped meals in the past 12 months.

Conclusions: Body weight perceptions and the use of weight control behaviours were significantly associated with predictors of smoking among adolescent females. This suggests a need to incorporate discussion on body weight perception and body image in smoking prevention and cessation programs targeted toward adolescent females.

Résumé

Objectifs: Nous avons étudié le lien entre le poids perçu, les comportements de contrôle du poids et le tabagisme chez un échantillon représentatif d’étudiants ontariens.

Méthode: Par des analyses de régression logistique bi- et multidimensionnelles, nous avons évalué le lien entre le tabagisme et l’embonpoint perçu et entre le tabagisme et certains comportements de contrôle du poids.

Résultats: Chez les femmes, le risque relatif d’être une fumeuse était notablement supérieur parmi celles qui se percevaient comme faisant de l’embonpoint et qui avaient employé des méthodes de contrôle du poids au cours des 12 mois précédents. Chez les hommes, le risque relatif rajusté d’être un fumeur n’était supérieur que parmi ceux qui avaient sauté des repas au cours des 12 mois précédents.

Conclusion: Le poids perçu et l’emploi de méthodes de contrôle du poids présentaient une corrélation significative avec les prédicteurs du tabagisme chez les adolescentes. Il faudrait donc aborder la perception du poids et l’image corporelle dans les programmes de prévention et de renoncement au tabac à l’intention des adolescentes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, G-106 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada

    Anne-Luise Winter MHSc

  2. Canadian Institute for Health Information, Toronto, Canada

    Nicole A. de Guia MHSc

  3. Ontario Tobacco Research Unit (OTRU), University of Toronto, Canada

    Roberta Ferrence PhD & Joanna E. Cohen PhD

  4. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Toronto, Canada

    Roberta Ferrence PhD & Joanna E. Cohen PhD

  5. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada

    Roberta Ferrence PhD

Authors
  1. Anne-Luise Winter MHSc
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  2. Nicole A. de Guia MHSc
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  3. Roberta Ferrence PhD
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  4. Joanna E. Cohen PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne-Luise Winter MHSc.

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(formerly OTRU)

Acknowledgements: The authors acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Ed Adlaf, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, whose valuable insights on early drafts of this manuscript were gratefully appreciated.

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Winter, AL., de Guia, N.A., Ferrence, R. et al. The Relationship Between Body Weight Perceptions, Weight Control Behaviours and Smoking Status Among Adolescents. Can J Public Health 93, 362–365 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404570

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03404570

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