Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors

The Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors is a national study that aims to gather information about disordered eating behaviors, muscle-building behaviors, and body image, as well as the social health, of adolescents and young adults ages 16-30 years old in Canada. The goal of this study is to develop research-informed recommendations for health care, public health, and policymaking professionals to protect the health and well-being of Canadian young people.

Roughly 2,700 adolescents and young adults across all 13 provinces and territories in Canada participated in wave one of survey in November and December 2021. Wave two of the survey will be conducted during November and December 2022, including participants from wave one and newly recruited participants.

Kyle T. Ganson, PhD, MSW, is the Principal Investigator of the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors. For more information and media request, please contact him: kyle.ganson@utoronto.ca.

Data may be made available to PhD students and researchers with specific analytic proposals. Please contact Kyle to discuss collaborative research opportunities.

> Please review the technical report for study information.

Recent publications using data from the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors:

Ganson, K. T., Cunningham, M. L., Pila, E., Rodgers, R. F., Murray, S. B., & Nagata, J. M. (2022). “Bulking and cutting” among a national sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults. Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies in Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity. https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s40519-022-01470-y

Ganson, K. T., Cunningham, M. L., Pila, E., Rodgers, R. F., Murray, S. B., & Nagata, J. M. (2022). Characterizing cheat meals among a national sample of Canadian adolescents and young adults. Journal of Eating Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-022-00642-6

Ganson, K. T., Cuccolo, K., Hallward, L., & Nagata, J. M. (2022). Intermittent fasting: Describing engagement and associations with eating disorder behaviors and psychopathology among Canadian adolescents and young adults. Eating Behaviors. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101681

Select media stories highlighting data from the Canadian Study of Adolescent Health Behaviors:

Bulking and cutting is massively popular — and has grave consequences, Sara Novak, Fatherly, October 19, 2022: https://www.fatherly.com/health/bulking-and-cutting-study

‘Bulk and cut’ dieting linked to eating disorders, muscle dysmorphia in youth, Annie Lennon, Medical News Today, September 21, 2022: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/bulk-and-cut-dieting-linked-to-eating-disorders-muscle-dysmorphia-in-youth

Montreal Now with Aaron Rand & Natasha Hall, live radio interview, discussion of cheat meals, August 23, 2022. https://ihr.fm/3dLb83j