Study: 14 Percent Of Girls Use Diet Pills

November 13, 2006

Young girls are choosing to lose weight quickly through the use of diet pills, television station WSMV reported. A study performed at the University of Minnesota called Project Eat analyzed 2,500 girls over a five-year period. It found that the use of diet pills by teenage girls has nearly doubled from 7.5 to 14.2 percent.

By the ages of 19 and 20, 20 percent of females surveyed used diet pills to control their weight.

"It's very tempting to find instant gratification today. Think of technology, instant messaging and instant success as far as getting something you want. If there's a pill out there that's going to make you feel great, look great and be accepted, which is what they want at any cost, that's what they're going to do," said Centerstone Crisis Counselor Susan Gillpatrick.

According to the study, 62.7 percent of teenage females use "unhealthy weight control behaviors."

It also found that 21.9 percent use "very unhealthy weight control behaviors" such as laxatives, vomiting or skipping meals, and the use of diet pills.

For the 2,500 teenage males studied, their rates of this behavior were half of the females.

Experts said Hollywood's unrealistic body images are taking a dangerous toll on teens.

"You've got Britney Spears, teen magazine covers. They make everybody look super-thin. They don't know what goes on behind the scenes to make these people look thinner than they are," said Gillpatrick.

The study also revealed another fact that shows teenage girls are learning a difficult lesson. Those who diet and use unhealthy weight control behaviors are at three times the risk of being overweight.

The study found teens who feel good about their body image eat better and have less risk of being overweight.

The authors of the Project Eat study advised parents to play a key role in helping girls build a positive body image and to look for the signs of any unhealthy weight control behavior their children might be trying to hide.

Below is a list of what to look for if you fear your child might have an eating disorder, according to Eating Disorder Coalition:

Characteristics of anorexia nervosa

• Emaciated look
• Physically active
• Profound weight loss
• Loss of menses
• Body image distortion
• Fear of weight gain
  
  Characteristics of bulimia nervosa
  
• Individual looks normal
• Bingeing and purging behaviors
• Individual overly concerned about her body
• Secretive
  

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Source: http://www.local6.com/family/10307256/detail.html