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Body Image & Health Inc. |
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Fact Sheet 6: Fat Facts |
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1. Young Australian women who diet frequently (five times or more
within the last year) are 2.7 times more likely to
binge, 4.2 times more likely to purge and they will experience
significantly poorer mental and physical health than their non- dieting
peers. 2.
Most people who remain in weight loss programs regain a third to
two thirds of the weight within one year, and almost all of the weight
is regained within 5 years. 3. Australians spend up to a million dollars a day on weight loss,
with little effect. 4.
Men are under increasing pressure to meet the ideal body. There has been
a 20% increase in usage of cosmetic surgery and a 37% increase in the
purchase of grooming products by men over the last 5 years. 5.
On any given day it is estimated that at least 17% of men are on some
sort of diet. 6.
The latest research shows that 92% of young women and 44% of middle aged
women have dieted to lose weight at least once. 7.
Women naturally carry fat on their hips and thighs - it is vital for
fertility, prevention of osteoporosis, healthy skin, eyes, hair and
teeth. 8.
Overestimating body size is common : 45% of healthy weight women and 23%
of healthy weight men describe themselves as overweight. 9. Only 1.6% of young Australian women say they are happy with their
weight. 10. Asian women's body image and dieting behaviours get worse when
they move to Australia. 11.
Frequent dieting increases the chance of being depressed by 70%. 12. At least 20% of underweight young Australian women are dieting to
lose weight. References 1. 6,9,10. Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. 1996.
University of Newcastle. 2. NIH Technology Assessment Conference Panel. 1993 Methods of
Voluntary Weight Loss and Control. Annals of Internal Medicine vol. 119,
No. 7 (part 2) page 764. 3. Australian Consumers' Association. 1997 "Wasting Away"
Consuming Interest. No. 70, Summer, page 8. 4. Catalano, A., 1996. Pecs appeal: Why men are the new cosmetic
surgery junkies. Marie Claire (Australia), pages 154 - 158. 5.
Marinos, S., 1997. You're so vain I bet you think this story is
about you. Elle Men, April page 44 - 47. 6. 5,8. Paxton et. al. 1994. Weight loss strategies and beliefs in high and low socio-economic areas of Melbourne. Australian Journal of Public Health, 18, pages 412 - 27
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