european college of sport science

14:15 - 15:15
Poster presentations
PP-HF09 Health and Fitness 9
PP-HF09 Health and Fitness 9
ADOLESCENTS TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT: PREVALENCE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND WEIGHT LOSS STRATEGIES IN 13 TO
15 YR OLD NORWEGIANS
STANGELAND, I., LOHNE-SEILER, H., SEILER, S.
UNIVERSITY OF AGDER
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to quantify the prevalence of weight loss behaviour in Norwegian teenagers from age 13 to 15 and compare
weight loss behaviour with anthropometrics, body image, and physical activity characteristics.
Methods
Norwegian adolescents from 12 public schools (n= 1059), initially 13.4±0.4 years (8th grade) were tested during the fall of their 8th, 9th
and 10th grade years. Height, weight and BMI were recorded. Physical activity (PA), body image and body change strategies were measured
by questionnaire. Current and desired body shapes were quantified using a 9-silhouette scale. A normally distributed physical
activity index was derived from 6 different questions related to sports activity, transport to school, school physical education participation,
and frequency of intense PA.
Results: Physical activity index (0-25 pt scale) decreased modestly in both genders from 8th to 10th grade (F: 10.9±3.5 to 10.1±4.1; M:
13.1±4.2 to 12.2±4.6, p