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Adolescents with overweight, obesity often underestimate their weight
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Many teenagers considered overweight or obese in the United Kingdom consider themselves to be at a healthy weight, possibly putting them at risk for future weight gain and obesity-related complications, according to research in International Journal of Obesity.
In a large population-based study including 8 years of sample data, researchers also found that overestimation of weight among normal-weight adolescents, particularly girls, was relatively low.
“The relatively low prevalence of overestimation of body weight among normal-weight adolescents is potentially a cause for celebration given longstanding concerns regarding unnecessary body dissatisfaction in adolescent girls,” the researchers wrote. “However, almost half of boys and a third of girls with a BMI placing them in the overweight or obese range perceived themselves to be about the right weight. Lack of awareness of excess weight among overweight and obese adolescents could be cause for concern.”
Sarah E. Jackson , MSc, PhD, of the Health Behavior Research Center at University College London, and colleagues analyzed data from 4,979 adolescents aged 13 to 15 years (2,668 boys; mean age, 14 years; 86% white) participating in the Health Survey for England between 2005 and 2012. Researchers categorized participants as underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese based on height, weight and BMI measurements. Participants completed a questionnaire that included the question, “Given your age and height, would you say that you are about the right weight, too heavy or too light?”
In the normal-weight category, 83% of adolescents correctly identified themselves as “about the right weight,” whereas 7% thought they were too heavy and 10% characterized themselves as too light.
Among adolescents with overweight or obesity, 60% considered themselves too heavy, whereas 39% characterized themselves as about the right weight, according to researchers. Girls with overweight or obesity were more likely than boys to recognize they were too heavy (68% vs. 53%; P < .001).
Researchers found 52% of adolescents with overweight underestimated their weight vs. only 7% of adolescents with obesity. Neither race nor socioeconomic status affected weight underestimation, according to researchers.
“Overweight teenagers are more likely to become overweight adults at higher risk of cancer,” Julie Sharp, PhD, head of health information at Cancer Research UK, said in a press release. “So it’s important that young people who are too heavy have support to be more active and make healthy changes to their diet — being aware that they are above a healthy weight could be a first step. Making those changes as teenagers could help protect them from cancer as adults.” – by Regina Schaffer
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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