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One in Every Five Women Misperceived Body Mass in a Sample of Young Adult and Mid‐Life Women Enrolled in a Weight Gain Prevention Intervention
Author(s) -
Metzgar Catherine,
NickolsRichardson Sharon
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.594.4
Subject(s) - overweight , underweight , body mass index , medicine , obesity , normal weight , demography , body weight , weight gain , physical therapy , sociology
Inaccurate perception of body mass may be problematic for normal weight individuals who regard themselves as overweight and for overweight/obese individuals who regard themselves as normal weight. This study explored the prevalence of body mass misperception, or the discrepancy between perceived and actual body mass, in a sample of 81 women [mean±SD age: 31.4±8.2 y, body weight (BW): 76.1±19.0 kg, body mass index (BMI): 27.9±6.8 kg/m 2 ] who enrolled in a 1‐year weight gain prevention study. Women answered the question, “Do you perceive yourself as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese?” Trained investigators measured current BW and standing height of participants; investigators used these values to estimate actual BMI. Body mass misperception was determined by comparing perceived BW classification versus actual BMI category and was recorded as overestimated, underestimated or accurately perceived. Forty‐two percent (n=34) of women were of normal BMI, 30.9% (n=25) were overweight and 27.1% (n=22) were obese; 38.3% (n=31) of women classified themselves as normal weight, 38.3% (n=31) as overweight, and 18.5% (n=15) as obese, while 4.9% (n=4) of women did not answer the question or chose more than one category. Of these 81 women, 77.9% (n=63) accurately perceived, 4.9% (n=4) overestimated and 12.3% (n=10) underestimated BMI (4.9%, n= 4, did not respond). Approximately 1 in every 5 women enrolled in the study misperceived body mass. Such misperception should be further explored as a barrier to appropriate BW control practices or awareness of physical health. Funded by an Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station/National Institute of Food and Agriculture research grant (#1001251).