Weight-Loss Product Use Increases Globally Among Female Adolescents

Adolescent girls frequently use weight-loss products, highlighting the need for interventions to reduce their usage, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.

“While many studies have reviewed weight-loss product use without a prescription in adolescents, no systematic review or meta-analysis, to our knowledge, has determined the overall proportion of adolescents using weight-loss products without a physician’s prescription,” wrote Natasha Yvonne Hall, PharmB, MHE, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, and coauthors. “The aim of this meta-analysis, therefore, was to determine the prevalence of weight-loss product use among children and adolescents.”

When investigating prevalence in the last week, 2.0% of adolescents reported using nonprescription weight-loss products (diet pills, laxatives, diuretics), with a very high heterogeneity among studies (I2=99%). The meta-analysis included seven studies, predominantly from the US, with a mix of cross-sectional and one longitudinal study designs, demonstrating variable quality as per JBI scores.

When investigating prevalence in the past 30 days, 4.4% of adolescents used these products, analyzed across 22 cross-sectional studies with a majority from the US and demonstrating generally good JBI scores. Heterogeneity remained extremely high (I2=100%).

Investigations of prevalence in the past year showed that 6.2% prevalence was noted across 16 studies, with a mix of US and international locations. The studies were primarily cross-sectional, showing high heterogeneity (I2=99%) and variable JBI scores.

Among a lifetime prevalence, 8.9% of adolescents reported using weight-loss products at least once, based on nine studies, including one cohort study, showing very high heterogeneity (I2=99%) and varied JBI scores.

The subgroup analyses highlighted differences in prevalence based on the publication year, with a higher past-week and lower lifetime prevalence in studies published before 2000 than those published after 2000 or 2010. Lifetime use was highest for diet pills (6.0%), followed by laxatives (4.0%) and diuretics (2.0%).

“This meta-analysis found that prevalence of use of diet pills (compared with laxatives and diuretics), female sex (compared with male), and North America (compared with Asia and Europe) were significantly higher, indicating that these populations are at higher risk,” concluded the study authors.

Reference

Hall NY, Hetti Pathirannahalage DM, Mihalopoulos C, Austin SB, Le L. Global prevalence of adolescent use of nonprescription weight-loss products: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(1):e2350940. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.50940