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Eating disorders in female athletes
   The prevalence of body dissatisfaction among older women today is so strong that it is similar to that of college women, according to a study reported at the Adademy for Eating Disorders annual meeting in San Diego. And concern over thinness and appearance apparently does not diminish with age. The 153 women studied in two groups -- age 50 to 65, and 65 and over -- completed the Eating Disorder Inventory and were measured on body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and feelings of ineffectiveness. For the middle age group (50 - 65 years), body dissatisfaction was lower with higher income, while among women older than 65, body dissatisfaction was higher with higher income. The researchers suggest considering a diagnosis of disordered eating in health evalutions of allwomen, regardless of age. (Healthy Weight Journal 2000:14:3:34 / Body dissatisfaction: not just for the young. Eating Disorders Rev 1999;10:1)
 

Women's  body image complicates HIV treatment
   Weight loss is a frequent complication of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but some women may be happy to lose that weight. Thus, the preferred body image of female patients with HIV may influence whether they accept medications or not. Medications (protease inhibitors) may increase weight, abdominal girth, breast size, and peripheral wasting.
   A study at the Medical Center of  Louisiana in New Orleans looked at these issues and found 6 percent of HIV-infected African-American and 23 percent of non-African-American women had tried to lose weight in the past year. Almost 20 percent of non-African-American women preferred an underweight size, along with 1 percent of African-American women. Results were not affected by the stage of infection of the women.
   Thus, the authors say, many female patients may try to attain body weights that are not helpful to their health status. Shortened survival is closely related to loss of lean body muscle in HIV. (Healthy Weight Journal 1999:14:2;19 / Clark RA, Niccolai L, Kissinger PJ, et al. Ethnic differences in body image attitudes and perceptions among women infected with HIV. J Am Diet Assoc 1999;99:735-737)
 

Male action toys sport huge muscles
   Do toys influence body dissatisfaction? Barbie has long been suspect. And now as body image problems and eating disorders for boys seem on the rise, a new study looks at trends in male action toys, the small plastic figures used by children in play.
 Luke Skywalker and Hans Solo have swelled from their normal builds in 1978 to bodybuilder physiques, with massive shoulders and chests, narrow waists, and muscular arms and legs. GI Joe, first introduced in 1964, has grown far more muscular, with increasingly sharp muscular definition. Early GI Joes had no visible abdominal muscles, the 1975 version shows some definition, and the 1994 figure displays sharply rippled abdominals. The 1998 GI Joe Extreme dwarfs all earlier lines with huge chest, shoulders and arm muscles, and an expression of rage that contrasts sharply with the mildly pleasant expressions of the pre-1980 figures. Other popular 1998 figures  — Iron Man, Batman, Wolverine — sport physiques and a ferocity far beyond any seen on the largest wrestlers or bodybuilders.
 Extrapolating the figures to a height of 5-foot-10 shows early figures having chests of about 44 inches, compared with 46 to 62 today, and biceps of 12 inches, compared with 18 to 32 today.
 The authors cite research on striking increases in body dissatisfaction for male students with and without eating disorders. They suggest that the toys parallel male actors, models, and comic strip characters in becoming leaner and more muscular over the last several decades. (Healthy Weight Journal 1999:13:5;67 / Pope H, Olivardia R, Gruber A, et al. Evolving ideals of male body image as seen through action toys. Int J Eat Disord 1999;26:65-72)
 

Dieters compromise IQ
   A British study finds that one in four girls age 11 to 18 may be damaging their intelligence by dieting and depriving themselves of iron. "We were surprised that a very small drop in iron levels caused a fall in IQ," said Michael Nelson, PhD, study author and senior lecturer in nutrition at King's College, London. The researchers tested IQ and blood samples of 595 girls in three comprehensive schools in North London and found a highly significant difference in intelligence scores between iron-deficient anemic girls, iron-deficient girls, and girls whose iron levels were normal. The study was adjusted for social class and menstrual status.
   The researchers concluded that poor iron status is common among British adolescent girls and that diet and iron status play an important role in determining intelligence scores. They cited evidence that people over 65 also may suffer from lack of iron and cognitive function, further linked to zinc and vitamin B₁₂ deficiencies. (Healthy Weight Journal 2000:14:6;83 / Kenyon G. Dieting may harm girls' IQ. Reuters Health, London 8/1/00)