The largest increases in weight loss attempts were seen in boys, older children, Asian children, and children from lower income households, according to the study published today in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. Using this data, the researchers tracked how common weight loss attempts were across several sociodemographic characteristics, including age, gender, weight status, ethnicity, and household income. 'Alarmingly, the data also showed that an increasing proportion of children with a ‘healthy’ weight also reported trying to lose weight. However, weight loss attempts increased across all BMI categories, and especially among boys, older children, children of Asian ethnicity, and those from lower income families.' The authors also note that further research is necessary to understand the drivers of weight loss attempts among young people with a healthy weight and to reduce their occurrence.
