Field Notes

Cyberbullying Linked to Eating Disorder Symptoms in US Adolescents

As screen time and cyberbullying increase among adolescents, a new study finds that among kids aged 10 to 14 cyberbullying is associated with a higher risk of experiencing eating disorder symptoms.

The study, published in International Journal of Eating Disorders, finds that being cyberbullied (cyberbullying victimization) and cyberbullying others (cyberbullying perpetration) are associated with eating disorder symptoms, such as worrying about gaining weight, tying one’s self-worth to weight, binge eating, and distress with binge eating.

“Cyberbullying could lead to low self-esteem, body image dissatisfaction, and unhealthy attempts to control weight, which could impact the risk of mental health issues, including eating disorder symptoms,” says lead study author Chloe M. Cheng, senior medical student at the University of California, San Francisco.

“Adolescents should limit social media that encourages eating disorders and appearance comparisons. Parents should advise their children to avoid cyberbullying and encourage them to report online harassment if it occurs,” says senior author Jason M. Nagata, MD, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco.

The study expands on existing knowledge surrounding eating disorders in adolescents, which have among the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder. The study uses data from the nationwide Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, the largest long-term study of brain development in the United States. The study collected data for 11,875 children aged 10 to 14. Study participants answered questions about whether they had experienced cyberbullying victimization and perpetration, as well as whether they had experienced eating disorder symptoms.

"This study emphasizes the need for more research on how cyberbullying is related to the mental well-being of early adolescents," says coauthor Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. “In particular, future research should focus on whether there are associations between cyberbullying and specific eating disorders in early adolescents.”

— Source: University of Toronto

 

Both High- and Normal-Protein Diets Effective for Type 2 Management

New findings from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) indicate that the type of protein in the diet isn’t as important as the overall amount of weight loss for those with type 2 diabetes.

Published in the journal Obesity, 106 adults with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to either the high-protein or normal-protein diet for 52 weeks. Both diets were energy restricted. The high-protein diet included recommendations to include lean beef, while the normal-protein diet instructed participants to refrain from eating any red meats. The team of researchers found that both a high-protein diet (40% of total kcal from protein) and a moderate-protein diet (21% of total kcal from protein) were effective in improving glucose control, weight loss, and body composition in people with type 2 diabetes.

Lead author James O. Hill, PhD, a professor with the UAB department of nutrition sciences and director of the UAB Nutrition Obesity Research Center, and coauthor Drew Sayer, PhD, with the UAB department of family and community medicine, say that in this context of comparing two overall healthful dietary patterns that differ in the amounts of dietary protein and carbohydrate, as well as the inclusion/exclusion of lean, minimally processed beef, the results here show that individuals can have some flexibility to choose a dietary pattern that most closely matches their preferences and that they’re most likely to stick with long term.

In the multisite, randomized controlled trial, 71 participants followed a higher-protein diet with four or more 4- to 6-oz servings of lean beef per week (as the only source of red meat) or a normal-protein diet with no red meat for 52 weeks. The high-protein diet was comprised of 40% protein, 32% carbohydrate, and 28% fat total energy, while the normal-protein diet was comprised of 21% protein, 53% carbohydrate, and 26% fat total energy (which is higher in protein than the average American diet, with protein intake averaging 14% to 16% of total energy).

All participants had type 2 diabetes and followed the State of Slim weight management program, with both diets being reduced in kcal and limited to food lists for each phase of the State of Slim program. In addition, participants worked toward exercising up to 70 minutes per day, six days per week.

— Source: University of Alabama at Birmingham