Abstract:
Background: Unhealthy weight control practices, commonly characterized by extreme calorie restriction and nutrition imbalance, have become a serious concern, impairing the quality of life in youth females. In developed and developing countries, including Ethiopia, the burden of unhealthy weight control practices is increasing.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of unhealthy weight control practices and associated factors among youth females in Gondar City. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used, and an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was applied to 619 randomly selected youth females in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia, in 2023. Measures included unhealthy weight control practices, body mass index, subjective perception of body weight, appearance satisfaction, depressive symptoms, and socio-demographic factors. Logistic regression was applied for data analyses, that is, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). EPI data version 4.0.6 and STATA version 17.0 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively.
Results: The prevalence of unhealthy weight control practices was 29.24% with a 95% CI (25.64–32.28). Factors that were significantly associated with unhealthy weight control practice were perception of being overweight [AOR = 2.69; 95%CI: 1.23–5.87], being overweight [AOR = 2.05; 95%CI: 1.06–3.95], moderately severe depression [AOR = 5.06; 95%CI: 2.29–11.202], middle torso dissatisfaction [AOR = 3.30; 95%CI: 2.13–5.12], and rich socio-economic status [AOR = 3.07; 95%CI: 1.80–5.23].
Conclusion and Recommendation: Unhealthy weight control practices among youth females in Gondar City were found to be lower, with factors like perceived overweight, moderately severe depressed middle torso dissatisfaction, and richness being significantly associated. It is better to be aware of and informed about effective weight control methods through a school organization.
