The Conversation – Francesca Solmi and Praveetha Patalay
The proportion of teenagers who are overweight or obese has risen over the past 30 years. In parallel, there has been an increase in societal focus on weight loss and dieting – namely in the form of “anti-obesity” public health campaigns, the expansion of the weight-loss and fitness industry, and weight-focused media content – from TV shows to social media trends. We know that these messages have not translated in a decrease in the prevalence of obesity, which has remained relatively stable over the past 15 years. However, what we don’t know is whether dieting behaviours and weight concerns have increased – and what impact this might have had on teenagers’ mental health.