A study on body weight perception and weight control behaviours among adolescents in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between body weight perceptions, estimated body mass index, gender, and weight control behaviours. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Three secondary schools in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1132 secondary school forms 1 and 3 students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The strength of agreement between perceived weight and estimated body mass index, and the association between perceived weight, estimated body mass index, and weight control behaviours. RESULTS: A total of 14% of students were estimated to be overweight or obese. The agreement between actual (estimated) body mass index and perceived weight was poor in females and fair in males (Kappa 0.137 and 0.225, respectively). In females, there was no evidence of a relationship between body mass index and weight control behaviours. However, there was a relationship between perceived weight and weight control behaviours such that females who perceived themselves as overweight were more likely to exercise, restrict caloric intake, self medicate with diet pills, purge, or use laxatives. In males, there was evidence of a relationship between perceived weight, body mass index, and weight control behaviours. Males who perceived themselves as overweight or were overweight, were more likely to exercise or restrict caloric intake. CONCLUSIONS: Body weight perceptions are not in agreement with actual weight in adolescents. This discrepancy is more marked in females who use a variety of weight control behaviours. These behaviours are motivated by perceived weight rather than actual (estimated) body mass index. Overweight adolescents should be encouraged to adopt appropriate weight control behaviours for their health needs.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome in children: experience in a regional hospital in Hong Kong.

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical, laboratory, and radiologic features of children with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to examine the difference between the younger and older age groups. DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive cohort study. SETTING: A regional hospital in Hong Kong. PATIENTS: Children younger than 18 yrs with SARS. RESULTS: Twenty-one children were included, with a mean age of 10.7 +/- 5.1 yrs. Children with SARS presented with fever, nonproductive cough, malaise, chills, headache, myalgia, and loss of appetite. Examination of the chest showed minimal auscultatory findings. Common laboratory findings included lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, and mild elevations of activated partial thromboplastin time, alanine transaminase, lactic dehydrogenase, and creatine phosphokinase. Bacteriologic and virologic studies were all negative for common pathogens. Unilateral focal opacity was the commonest finding in chest radiography. High-resolution computerized tomography of the thorax was an early diagnostic tool if the chest radiograph was negative. The clinical course was less severe in comparison with adult patients. However, adolescents (age, > or =12 yrs) resembled adults in their clinical features. When compared with the younger age group, the adolescents had significantly higher temperatures, more constitutional upset, and a greater need for steroid treatment. Children younger than 12 yrs seemed less ill but had more coughing. On the whole, the outcome was favorable. CONCLUSION: Severe acute respiratory syndrome affects children, but the course is less severe. Nevertheless, the disease could have a significant psychosocial impact on children because of the potential seriousness of the disease in their adult family members.