Body Weight Misperception and Psychological Distress Among Children and Adolescents: The CASPIAN-V Study

OBJECTIVES: Misperception of weight status is a risk factor that affects psychological health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between weight misperception patterns and psychological distress among Iranian children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional nationwide study where data was collected from 14,440 students, aged 7–18 years who participated in the national school-based surveillance program (CASPIAN-V). The students’ weight perception and psychological distress were assessed by validated questionnaires. Weight misperception was classified as misperception of being either underweight or overweight with respect to actual weight. RESULTS: The rate of weight misperception in all study participants was 59.1%. In groups with a perception of being underweight or overweight, the risks of worthlessness, being worried, experiencing aggression, insomnia, or depression, were significantly higher than groups with an accurate weight perception (p < 0.05). The risk of anxiety in girls of normal weight who perceived themselves as underweight, decreased by 57% compared to girls with an accurate weight perception (OR: 0.43; 95% CI, 0.28–0.66). CONCLUSION: Weight misperception is highly prevalent among Iranian children and adolescents and is associated with their psychological health status. Appropriate education intervention needs to be developed to improve the children and adolescents’ perception of their body weight status.

Relationship of body satisfaction, with nutrition and weight control behaviors in women

Considering the importance and prevalence of obesity and the desire to lose weight, especially among women, this study intended to investigate the relationship between Body Mass Index, body satisfaction, and weight control behavior among women employees in Isfahan. An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 408 women who were selected by stratified random sampling method among employees at Isfahan University and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences during 2012. The data collection tool was a multidimensional questionnaire which comprised two sections: Demographic Tool and Body Satisfaction Tool [7 items], Weight Control Behavior Scale [18 items]. Age, marital status, educational level, and multiparity were significantly correlated with body size satisfaction. Seventy-five participants were dissatisfied with their weight and 60.5% reported a desire to lose weight; 92.15% of women studied had participated in a healthy dieting behavior and 10.8% of them had participated in an unhealthy one during the past six months. There was an inverse correlation between body satisfaction and Body Mass Index [BMI] [r = ?0.64, P = 0.001]. Ninety percent of participants had at least one of the dieting behaviors. There was an inverse significant relationship between body satisfaction and dieting behaviors [r = ?0.19, P = 0.001]. Due to the importance of the prevention of obesity and the necessity of having a normal BMI in order to prevent subsequent complications, precise self-evaluation of body size can be used to focus on designing and conducting public health programs, especially for women