Social Influence on Fad Diet Use: A Systematic Literature Review

2022 ◽  
pp. 026010602110723
Author(s):  
Mandy Spadine ◽  
Megan S. Patterson

Background: A fad diet is a broad term used to describe dieting methods that recommend altering the intake of macronutrients to specific proportions or instruct people to intake or avoid particular foods, often with the goal of rapid weight loss. Previous literature reviews report social influence impacts general diet behaviour, but have yet to examine fad diets, specifically. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize literature related to social influence on an individual's fad diet use and understand the sociocultural factors related to diet use. Methods: Using PRISMA guidelines, Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, CINAHL, and CENTRAL databases were searched to identify articles investigating the impact of social on fad diet use. Covidence was used to manage the review process and Garrard's Matrix Method was used to extract data from reviewed articles (n   =   13). Results: A majority of reviewed studies examined interpersonal influence (62%) and reported social influence impacting a variety of fad diet behaviours (92%). Interpersonal and media influence were highlighted as motivating factors for adopting unhealthy dieting methods (54%), and studies showed interpersonal support impacted adoption and maintenance of fad diet use (23%). Also, social norms were reported to influence unhealthy weight control behaviours (15%). Discussion: This review revealed social influence is associated with the adoption, adherence, and termination of fad diets. The prevalence of fad diets in society and the lack of research on this topic warrants further examination of factors related to fad diets use and the spread among interpersonal networks.

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 752-753 ◽  
Author(s):  

Many athletes engage in unhealthy weight-control practices. This new policy statement urges pediatricians to attempt to identify and help these athletes and provides information about how to support sound nutritional behavior. Athletes may engage in unhealthy weight-control practices, particularly in sports in which thinness or "making weight" is judged important to success, such as body building, cheerleading, dancing (especially ballet), distance running, diving, figure skating, gymnastics, horse racing, rowing, swimming, weight-class football, and wrestling.1-3 Some athletes may use extreme weight-loss practices that include overexercising; prolonged fasting; vomiting; using laxatives, diuretics, diet pills, other licit or illicit drugs, and/or nicotine; and use of rubber suits, steam baths, and/or saunas. The majority of these disordered eating behaviors do not meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed, criteria4 for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. In two surveys of 208 female collegiate athletes, 32% and 62% practiced at least one of the following unhealthy weight-control behaviors: self-induced vomiting, binge eating more than twice weekly, and using laxatives, diet pills, and/or diuretics.5,6 Of 713 high school wrestlers in Wisconsin, 257 (36%) demonstrated two or more behaviors related to bulimia nervosa.7 In a survey of 171 collegiate Indiana wrestlers concerning their behaviors in high school, 82% had fasted for more than 24 hours, 16% had used diuretics, and 9.4% had induced vomiting at least once a week.8 Many athletes are secretive about these potentially harmful practices. Disordered eating may have a negative short-term impact on athletic performance. Athletes who lose weight rapidly by dehydration are probably impairing their athletic performance, especially if it involves strength or endurance,9 and these strength deficits may persist even after rehydration.10


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Tur-Sinai ◽  
T Kolobov ◽  
R Tesler ◽  
O Baron-Epel ◽  
K Dvir ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Economic determinants such as socioeconomic inequalities and parents’ employment have a profound impact on the health of adolescents in terms of unhealthy weight-control behaviours (UWCB). In addition, various family factors may play a role in adolescents’ weight-control behaviours (WCB). This study examines the association among socioeconomic status, perceived family wealth, and number of employed parents and Israeli adolescents’ WCB and asks whether family variables (parental communication, monitoring, support, and family meals) mediate WCB. Methods Data from the cross-sectional questionnaire of the 2014 Israeli Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study are analysed using structural equation modelling. The research population includes approximately 7,000 Israeli schoolchildren in grades 6, 8, and 10. The association among socioeconomic status (SES) factors (SES measures, parental employment), sociodemographic factors, and weight-control behaviours among adolescents is calculated. Results High family affluence and high perceived family wealth are negatively associated with unhealthy weight-control behaviour. Having two employed parents leads to lower levels of UWCB. Family-related variables like family communication and support and parental monitoring are found to mitigate unhealthy weight-control behaviours. Family meals have a significantly positive effect on healthy weight-control behaviour and a significantly negative impact on unhealthy weight-control activities. Conclusions The findings suggest that economic factors such as SES and number of employed parents are necessary strategies for long-term weight-control practice. The combination of WCB and family meals is the most effective method for adolescents’ healthy weight-control behaviour. Key messages The study highlights the importance of considering the quality of family communication and support as a health asset that may contribute to WCB among young people. Family affluence and perceived family wealth, which were two separate measurements, were perceived differently by adolescents.


2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-341 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason M. Nagata ◽  
Andrea K. Garber ◽  
Jennifer L. Tabler ◽  
Stuart B. Murray ◽  
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo

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