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Dietary restraint in normal weight and overweight children. A cross-sectional study

International Journal of Obesity volume 24, pages 314–318 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the degree to which actual fatness and negative self-esteem might be linked to dietary restraint in childhood.

METHOD: Subjects were 426 boys and 319 girls, aged 10.6 y (±1 y). Forty-nine children were overweight (>30%) and 149 subjects were in the category ‘moderately overweight’ (10–30% overweight). Measures of self-esteem and dietary restraint were used in the analyses.

RESULTS: Dietary restraint was observable in all weight groups and significantly more in girls. Boys and girls with an existing fatness problem showed more dietary restraint. Weight status, not self-esteem, turned out to be the best predictor of dietary restraint.

DISCUSSION: Because there were good reasons to expect side-effects of the observed dietary restraint in obese children in the long term, valuable alternatives like changes in the life-style and interventions that enhance body image and self-esteem were recommended.

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  1. Department of Developmental and Personality Psychology, University of Gent, Gent, Belgium

    C Braet & K Wydhooge

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Correspondence to C Braet.

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Braet, C., Wydhooge, K. Dietary restraint in normal weight and overweight children. A cross-sectional study. Int J Obes 24, 314–318 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801129

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