The document summarizes survey results from Irish teenagers aged 13-17 on body size satisfaction and weight control practices by BMI, sex, age, location, and socioeconomic group. It finds that overweight and obese teenagers were more likely to want to be smaller or lose weight compared to normal weight teenagers. Females were more likely than males to want to be smaller or lose weight. Older teenagers aged 15-17 were more likely to attempt weight loss than younger teenagers aged 13-14. Location and socioeconomic group had little influence on body size satisfaction and weight control practices.

1. Table 6.1 Body size satisfaction for 13-17 year old Irish teenagers by BMI, sex, age group and demographic and lifestyle factors
n Taller (%) Smaller (%) Same(%) Heavier (%) Lighter (%) Same(%)
*
BMI category
Normal weight 356 50 4 46 14 34 52
Overweight 47 60 2 38 6 60 34
Obese 33 6 3 33 0 91 9
Sex
Male 224 45 7 48 21 23 56
Female 217 58 1 40 4 60 36
Age group
13-14y 188 52 3 46 8 44 48
15-17y 253 52 5 43 16 39 45
Location
Rural 171 49 4 47 8 44 48
Small town 43 56 5 39 23 23 54
Large Town 62 52 3 45 16 37 47
City 160 54 4 41 13 44 43
Socio-economic group
Employers, managers, higher professionals 115 47 3 50 16 33 51
Lower professionals, non- managers 147 54 7 39 10 47 43
Manual-skilled, semi-skilled, farmers 63 56 5 39 11 44 45
Unskilled, own a/c workers, agri workers, unknown, students 111 52 2 46 13 40 48
* International Obesity Taskforce age and sex specific BMI cut-offs (Cole et al. 2000)

2. Table 6.2 Prevalence of weight control practices in 13-17 year old Irish teenagers by BMI, sex, age group and demographic and lifestyle factors
Weight loss attempted (%) Weight gain attempted (%) Weight loss attempted in previous 12 months (%)
*
BMI category
Normal weight 32 10 24
Overweight 55 6 42
Obese 85 0 85
Sex
Male 25 11 16
Female 51 7 42
0 0 0
Age group 0 0 0
13-14y 32 5 24
15-17y 41 12 32
Location
Rural 38 5 29
Small town 23 19 19
Large Town 34 7 23
City 42 11 33
Socio-economic group
Employers, managers, higher professionals 30 10 20
Lower professionals, non- managers 44 7 31
Manual-skilled, semi-skilled, farmers 36 11 34
Unskilled, own a/c workers, agri workers, unknown, students 37 9 31
* International Obesity Taskforce age and sex specific BMI cut-offs (Coleet al. 2000)