Youth Indicators, 2005: Trends in the Well-Being of American Youth

Indicator 46: Weight Control and Dieting

Table 46. Percentage of high school students with weight concerns, by race/ethnicity, specific concern, and sex: Various years, 1993 to 2003
						2003
							Race/ethnicity
Weight concern and sex	1993 Total	1995 Total	1997 Total	1999 Total	2001 Total	Total¹	White, non-Hispanic	Black, non-Hispanic	Hispanic
Overweight²
Total	—	—	—	9.9	10.5	12.1	10.4	16.2	16.4
Male	—	—	—	11.9	14.2	15.7	14.0	18.2	21.3
Female	—	—	—	7.9	6.9	8.3	6.5	14.2	11.5
At risk for becoming overweight³
Total	—	—	—	16.0	13.6	14.8	13.3	18.2	17.4
Male	—	—	—	17.5	15.5	15.2	14.0	15.1	19.1
Female	—	—	—	14.4	11.7	14.4	12.4	21.2	15.7
Thought they were overweight
Total	34.3	27.6	27.3	30.0	29.2	29.6	30.8	22.3	31.6
Male	24.4	22.1	22.2	23.7	23.3	23.5	23.5	17.9	27.1
Female	44.8	33.6	33.5	36.4	34.9	36.1	38.5	26.4	36.1
Were attempting weight loss
Total	40.3	41.4	39.7	42.7	46.0	43.8	44.8	34.7	49.4
Male	23.1	24.3	23.1	26.1	28.8	29.1	27.9	22.7	37.4
Female	58.7	59.8	59.7	59.4	62.3	59.3	62.6	46.7	61.7
Exercised to lose weight or avoid gaining weight⁴
Total	—	51.0	51.5	58.4	59.9	57.1	58.5	47.5	58.9
Male	—	39.3	39.9	49.5	51.0	49.0	48.1	46.1	53.7
Female	—	63.8	65.4	67.4	68.4	65.7	69.6	49.2	64.1
Fasted to lose weight or avoid gaining weight⁴
Total	—	—	—	12.6	13.5	13.3	12.5	12.5	13.7
Male	—	—	—	6.4	7.6	8.5	7.1	10.5	9.2
Female	—	—	—	18.8	19.1	18.3	18.4	14.5	18.2
Took diet pills, powders, or liquids to lose weight or avoid gaining weight⁴
Total	—	5.2	4.9	7.6	9.2	9.2	9.8	5.0	10.5
Male	—	1.9	2.4	4.4	5.5	7.1	6.8	4.9	9.2
Female	—	8.7	8.0	10.9	12.6	11.3	13.0	5.1	11.7
— Not available.
¹Includes other race/ethnicity categories not separately shown.
²Students who were in the 95th or higher percentile for body mass index, by age and sex, based on reference data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I. Percentiles for each age level, from 2 to 20 years of age, are based on weight and height, and differ for each age level. The percentage of overweight high school students is calculated from the total number of students in the 95th percentile or higher for their age group across all high school age groups.
³Students who were in the 85th or higher percentile but less than the 95th percentile for body mass index, by age and sex, based on reference data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I are considered at risk for becoming overweight.
⁴During the 30 days preceding the survey.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003.

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