Reading diet articles linked to unhealthy dieting in teens

Acquiring too much knowledge without knowing how to use it may lead to unhealthy behaviours. When it concerns dieting and weight loss, to much information usually leads to risky dieting habits.

Teenage girls who read too many of such articles are in the biggest danger of practicing vomiting and laxative abuse and other extreme weight loss measures.

Health experts report that parents may have an important role in preventing such behaviours by explaining their children that they shouldn’t be reading articles that promote thinness and warn them about the possible dangers of undertaking extreme weight loss measures.

The researchers followed a large group of teenagers for five years and included data about their dieting, body image and self-esteem.
The study revealed that the girls who often read magazine articles on dieting and weight loss were most likely to report engaging in unhealthy or extreme dieting practices compared with those who did not read at all. The unhealthy behaviours included fasting, skipping meals, and smoking as well as the extreme such as vomiting and using laxatives were two and three times more common in those teens who read the magazines.

Boys were found not to be under the influence of the magazine articles.

Health experts advise that the things we learn from the media should not be taken for granted and that practicing something without knowing the consequences carries a certain risk.