Teenage girls who try to lose weight through dieting, exercise, and use of laxatives or appetite suppressants, are more likely to become obese in later life, according to new research.
A three-year study, conducted by Dr Eric Stice of the University of Texas and colleagues from Stanford University in California, included 692 girls from grade 9 through grade 12, aged between 13 and 17.
Every year, the researchers interviewed the girls about their eating, exercise, and health habits and recorded their height and weight. At the beginning of the study, 16% of the girls said they were dieting, and 75% said they exercised at least a little to keep their weight down. Twenty per cent reported some fasting, and 12% admitted using appetite suppressants or laxatives.
Looking at the girls' growth curves over the study period, the research team found that those who were overweight at the beginning were no more likely to gain weight than those who were underweight.
But those who used appetite suppressants, laxatives, and vomiting to control their weight, and those who participated in binge eating, were more likely to gain weight than those who did not report these behaviors.
The investigators also found that 9th grade girls who said they were dieting were at least three times more likely to become obese than those who were not dieting. Girls who said they exercised to control their weight or who reported using appetite suppressants or laxatives were also more likely to become obese.
The authors note that the study findings agree with results from previous studies that found "dieting predicts weight gain in adulthood." The researchers described two possible explanations for their findings. First, even though the girls said they were trying to lose weight, they may not actually have been reducing their intake of calories, or exercising to a therapeutic level, and so did not actually lose weight.
Second, it is possible that the girls were aware of a tendency to become overweight, and had already started trying to control that tendency before the study began. Writing in the Journal Of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Stice and his colleagues say further research is needed.
Love Your Way to Fitness
Forget about diets and joining a gym, according to scientists the best way to improve your fitness is to have more sex.
Medical experts are claiming that making love will slow down the aging process, strengthen the immune system, improve your circulation and could even increase your life expectancy.
Dr David Weeks, a clinical neuropsychologist in the UK, has found that couples who have more sex actually live longer. In his study, Dr Weeks interviewed over 3,000 volunteers aged between 18 and 102. He estimates that couples who make love about three times a week look between four and seven years younger than those having little or no sex.
He said, "Sex is an excellent aerobic exercise because it raises the heart beat and pumps oxygen around the body which improves the immune system, boosts circulation and keeps you lean."
Interestingly, Dr Weeks found individuals who were having sex in a loving relationships enjoyed more health benefits than those who were promiscuous. He said, "This is because a healthy sexual relationship combines physical and psychological ties. Loyalty is part and parcel of a fulfilling sex life."
Five health benefits of sex:
Healthy Skin: Vigorous activity raises oxygen levels throughout the entire body. This stimulates blood flow and nutrients, effectively pushing fresh skin cells to the skin's surface.
Improves Fitness: You burn at least 100 calories every hour - that's 5000 calories a year if you are having sex two to three times a week. You will also be giving all the major muscle groups a demanding workout.
Mood Enhancement: The female orgasm produces a hormone called oxytocin which generates warm emotions making you feel more affectionate.
Strengthens the Immune System: An American study by Dr Dudley Chapman of Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine reveals that breast cancer sufferers who experienced regular orgasms recovered faster than those who didn't.
Reduces Stress: Numerous scientists have found evidence that orgasms trigger the release of endorphins - the feel-good chemicals secreted by the brain that act as effective painkillers.
Medical experts are claiming that making love will slow down the aging process, strengthen the immune system, improve your circulation and could even increase your life expectancy.
Dr David Weeks, a clinical neuropsychologist in the UK, has found that couples who have more sex actually live longer. In his study, Dr Weeks interviewed over 3,000 volunteers aged between 18 and 102. He estimates that couples who make love about three times a week look between four and seven years younger than those having little or no sex.
He said, "Sex is an excellent aerobic exercise because it raises the heart beat and pumps oxygen around the body which improves the immune system, boosts circulation and keeps you lean."
Interestingly, Dr Weeks found individuals who were having sex in a loving relationships enjoyed more health benefits than those who were promiscuous. He said, "This is because a healthy sexual relationship combines physical and psychological ties. Loyalty is part and parcel of a fulfilling sex life."
Five health benefits of sex:
Healthy Skin: Vigorous activity raises oxygen levels throughout the entire body. This stimulates blood flow and nutrients, effectively pushing fresh skin cells to the skin's surface.
Improves Fitness: You burn at least 100 calories every hour - that's 5000 calories a year if you are having sex two to three times a week. You will also be giving all the major muscle groups a demanding workout.
Mood Enhancement: The female orgasm produces a hormone called oxytocin which generates warm emotions making you feel more affectionate.
Strengthens the Immune System: An American study by Dr Dudley Chapman of Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine reveals that breast cancer sufferers who experienced regular orgasms recovered faster than those who didn't.
Reduces Stress: Numerous scientists have found evidence that orgasms trigger the release of endorphins - the feel-good chemicals secreted by the brain that act as effective painkillers.
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