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With obesity rates rising, are more overweight and obese adolescents trying to lose weight? Investigators examined self-reported attempts to lose weight in the last 12 months among adolescents aged 16 to 19 years, using nationwide health survey data from three periods (1988–1994, 1999–2004 and 2009–2014). They found the following:
The prevalence of overweight/obesity increased from 22% in 1988–1994 to 34% in 2009–2014, while the percent of reported weight loss attempts decreased from 34% to 27%.
Among overweight adolescents, the percent trying to lose weight decreased from 36% to 23% among boys and from 80% to 54% among girls. After adjusting for race/ethnicity, family income, and body-mass index (BMI), the trend was significant only for boys…