Body size perception and ideal body size in overweight and obese young adult women

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Hannah M. Lerner, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Bryan Klapes, Emory University; Amanda Mummert, Emory University; Eun Seok Cha, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2016-09-01
• Publisher: SPRINGER
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40519-015-0239-3
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: EATING AND WEIGHT DISORDERS-STUDIES ON ANOREXIA BULIMIA AND OBESITY
• Volume: 21
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 487
• End Page: 492
• Grant/Funding Information: We acknowledge the National Institute of Nursing Research (K01NR012779, PI: E.S. Cha), Emory University (University Research Committee and Atlanta Clinical & Translational Science Institute (ACTSI) collaborative grant), and the Atlanta Clinical and Translational Science Institute (UL1 RR025008) for their support of this study.
• Keywords: EATING-DISORDERS; RISK-FACTORS; Body image; Psychiatry; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; DISSATISFACTION; SATISFACTION; Overweight; HEALTH; DIET; Body size perception; Young adults; IMAGE; Science & Technology; Obese; ADOLESCENT GIRLS; WEIGHT; MISPERCEPTION; Women
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Sociology, Public and Social Welfare

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the differences among actual body size, perceived body size, and ideal body size in overweight and obese young adult women. Methods: Actual body size was assessed by body mass index (BMI), while self-perceived and ideal body sizes were assessed by the Body image assessment tool-body dimension. Descriptive statistics were calculated and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed on actual BMI as a function of perceived BMI. Results: Of the 42 participants included in the study, 12 were overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30), 18 were obese 1 (30 ≤ BMI < 35), and 12 were obese 2 (35 ≤ BMI ≤ 39.48). The mean ideal body size of participants was 25.34 ± 1.33. Participants in general perceived their body size (BMI: 35.82 ± 1.06) to be higher than their actual body size (32.84 ± 0.95). Overweight participants had a significantly higher mean body size misperception than obese 2 individuals (µdif = −6.68, p < .001). Conclusion: Perception accuracy of body size differs in women by BMI. Weight loss programs need to be tailored to consider body size misperception in order to improve treatment outcomes for overweight and obese young women.