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.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hill AJ, Draper E, Stack J . A weight on children's minds: body shape dissatisfaction at 9-years old Int J Obes 1994 18: 383–389.
Hill AJ, Bhatti R . Body shape perception and dieting in preadolescent British Asian girls: links with eating disorders Int J Eating Disorders 1995 17: 175–183.
Van Strien T, Frijters JER, van Staveren WA, Defares PB, Deurenberg P . The predictive validity of the Dutch Restrained Eating Scale Int J Eating Disorders 1986 5: 747–755.
Hill AJ, Robinson A . Dieting concerns have a functional effect on the behaviour of nine-year-old girls Br J Clin Psychol 1991 30: 265–267.
Thelen MH, Powell AL, Lawrence C, Kuhnert ME . Eating and body image concerns among children J Clin Child Psychol 1992 21: 41–46.
Herman CP, Polivy J . Dietary restraint. In Stunkard AJ (ed). Obesity. WB Saunders: Philadelphia, 1980, pp 208–225.
Patton GC, Johnson-Sabine E, Wood K, Mann AH, Wakeling A . Abnormal eating attitudes in London schoolgirls—a prospective epidemiological study: outcome at 12-month follow-up Psychol Med 1990 20: 383–394.
Patton GC, Selzer R, Coffey C, Carlin JB, Wolfe R . Onset of adolescent eating disorders: population based cohort study over 3 years Br Med J 1999 318: 765–768.
Carter JC, Stewart DA, Dunn VJ, Fairburn CG . Primary prevention of eating disorders: might it do more harm than good? Int J Eating Disorders 1997 22: 167–172.
Fairburn CG, Welch SL, Doll HA, Davies B, O'Connor ME . Risk factors for bulimia nervosa: a community-based case-control study Arch Gen Psychiat 1997 54: 509–517.
Fairburn CG, Doll HA, Welch SL, Hay PhJ, Davies BA, O'Connor ME . Risk factors for binge eating disorder. A community-based case-control study Arch Gen Psychiat 1998 55: 425–432.
Garner DM, Wooley SC . Confronting failure of behavioral and dietary treatments for obesity Clin Psychol Rev 1991 11: 729–780.
Schreiber GB, Robins M, Striegel-Moore R, Obarzanek E, Morrison JA, Wright DJ . Weight modification efforts reported by black and white preadolescent girls: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study Pediatrics 1996 98: 63–70.
Rolland K, Farnill D, Griffiths RA . Body figure perceptions and eating attitudes among Australian schoolchildren aged 8 to 12 years Int J Eating Disorders 1997 21: 273–278.
Fairburn CG, Wilson T (eds) . Binge eating: nature, assessment and treatment. Guilford Press: New York, 1993.
Gralen SJ, Levine MP, Smolak L, Murnen SK . Dieting and disordered eating during early and middle adolescence: do the influences remain the same? Int J Eating Disorders 1989 9: 501–512.
Hill AJ, Oliver S, Rogers PJ . Eating in the adult world: the rise of dieting in childhood and adolescence Br J Clin Psychol 1992 31: 95–105.
Lawrence CM, Thelen MH . Body image, dieting and self-concept: their relation in African-American and Caucasian children J Clin Child Psychol 1995 24: 41–48.
Conner M, Martin E, Silverdale N, Grogan S . Dieting in adolescence: an application of the theory of planned behaviour Br J Health Psychol 1996 1: 315–325.
Sands R, Tricker J, Sherman C, Armatas C, Maschette W . Disordered eating patterns, body image, self-esteem, and physical activity in preadolescent school children Int J Eating Disorders 1997 21: 159–166.
Kaplan KM, Wadden TA . Childhood obesity and self-esteem J Pediatrics 1986 109: 367–370.
Harter S . Causes, correlates, and the functional role of global self-worth: a life-span perspective. In Kolligian J, Sternberg R (eds). Perceptions of competence and incompetence across the life-span. Yale University Press: New Haven, 1988, pp 67–97.
Harter S . Manual for the self-perception profile for children. University of Denver: Denver, 1985.
Braet C, Mervielde I, Vandereycken W . Psychological aspects of childhood obesity: a controlled study in a clinical and non-clinical sample J Pediatr Psychol 1997 22: 59–71.
Van Wierlingen JC, Roede MJ . Growth diagrams 1980. Netherlands Third Nation-wide survey Tijdschrift voor Sociale Gezondheidszorg 1985 63: S1–S34.
Van Strien T, Frijters JER, Bergers GPA, Defares PB . Dutch eating behaviour questionnaire for assessment of restrained emotional and external eating behaviour Int J Eating Disorders 1986 5: 295–315.
Kostanski M, Gullone E . Adolescent body image dissatisfaction: relationship with self-esteem, anxiety, and depression controlling for body mass J Child Psychol Psychiat 1998 39: 255–262.
Whitaker RC, Wright JA, Pepe MS, Seidel KD, Dietz WH . Predicting obesity in young adulthood from childhood and parental obesity New Engl J Med 1997 337: 869–873.
Attie I, Brooke-Gunn J . Development of eating problems in adolescent girls: a longitudinal study Dev Psychol 1989 25: 70–79.
Epstein LH, Valoski A, Wing RR, McCurely J . Ten-year outcomes of behavioral family-based treatment for childhood obesity Health Psychol 1994 13: 373–383.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
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
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801129
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
‘I just can’t help myself’: effects of food-cue exposure in overweight and lean individuals
International Journal of Obesity (2011)
-
Preferences Predict Food Intake From 5 to 11 Years, but Not in Girls With Higher Weight Concerns, Dietary Restraint, and %Body Fat
Obesity (2011)
-
Eating styles, overweight and obesity in young adult twins
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007)
-
A Longitudinal Investigation of the Development of Weight and Muscle Concerns Among Preadolescent Boys
Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2006)
-
A Prospective Study of Individual Factors in the Development of Weight and Muscle Concerns Among Preadolescent Children
Journal of Youth and Adolescence (2005)