Weight Control Patterns, Substance Use, and Mental Health in Korean Adolescents: A Latent Class Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to uncover distinctive patterns in weight control methods within latent classes among Korean adolescents. It explores how substance use (i.e., alcohol, traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products) and mental health (i.e., stress, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation) impact each class. Using the cross-sectional secondary dataset from the 2022 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which includes 26,942 Korean adolescents, latent class analysis categorizes weight control methods into three groups: “Class 1: Medication-Centered Weight Control Group,” “Class 2: Diet-Centered Group,” and “Class 3: Holistic Approach to Diet and Exercise Group.” The results indicate that substance use and mental health challenges both increase the risk of medication-centered or diet-centered weight control practices in male adolescents. In contrast, only mental health challenges heighten the risk in female adolescents. This study contributes to a more profound comprehension of the intricate relationship between substance use, mental health, and weight control practices in Korean adolescents.