Satisfaction with body weight among adolescents with excess weight: findings from a cross-sectional population-based study

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Individuals who are overweight or obese often underestimate their size, and they are less likely to consider their weight status to be a health problem and consequently to make lifestyle changes. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the proportion of satisfaction with weight among adolescents classified as overweight/obese, according to sociodemographic factors, morbidities and health-related behaviors. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional population-based study conducted among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in the city of Campinas (SP), Brazil. METHODS: The sample (n = 217) included participants with self-reported weight and height who were classified as overweight or obese, based on body mass index (BMI) according to age-specific cutoff points recommended by the World Health Organization. Participants whose answer to the question "Would you like to gain or lose weight?" was "no" (i.e. no change) were deemed to be satisfied with their body weight. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated using logistic regression. RESULTS: The proportions of the respondents who were satisfied with their weight were 75.8% (95% CI 65.3-83.9) among the overweight adolescents and 24.2% (95% CI 16.1-34.7) among the obese adolescents (P < 0.01). Satisfaction was lower among individuals aged 15 to 19 years (versus 10 to 14 years), those born outside of Campinas (versus in Campinas), those with ≥ 8 household appliances (versus < 8), and those reporting ≥ two health complaints (versus none). CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the overweight adolescents and almost a quarter of the obese adolescents were satisfied with their weight. These results support the need for strategies for healthy weight management among Brazilian adolescents.