Self-perception of weight and physical fitness, body image perception, control weight behaviors and eating behaviors in adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: self-perception of weight and physical fitness, aesthetic reasons to diet, self-weighing as a way to feel better and body image perception have been related to a constellation of risks to develop both body image dissatisfaction and eating behavior disturbances, especially among adolescents. OBJECTIVES: to analyze weight self-perception and self-reported physical fitness, to explore the links between these variables and weight control behaviors, to explore possible relations among weight self-perception, self-reported physical fitness, dieting, self-weighing frequency and body mass index (BMI)/body image and to analyze the relation between all these variables and different eating behaviors. METHODS: a total of 336 students (mean age of 12.46 ± 2.14; 47.62% females) took part in this study. Different scales were administered (weight self-perception and self-reported physical fitness, dieting, self-weighing frequency, body image perception, eating behaviors) and height and weight were measured in order to obtain the BMI. RESULTS: mean BMI was 20.18 ± 3.58 and 41.14% of participants had overweight/obesity. Among those who perceived themselves as overweight,76.92% were girls. More than 70% of participants reported average or good physical fitness and more boys reported good or excellent physical fitness. Almost 60% of participants who planned to diet for aesthetic reasons were girls, and girls more than boys self-weighed to feel better. BMI was significantly correlated with body image dissatisfaction/restrictive eating. CONCLUSIONS: there are clear links between weight self-perception, body image, dieting, self-weighing and eating behaviors at an age which might be considered as a starting point to eating behavior disturbances.

Self-perception of weight and physical fitness, body image perception, control weight behaviors and eating behaviors in adolescents / Autopercepción del peso y forma física, percepción de la imagen corporal y conductas de control de peso y alimentarias en adolescentes

Introduction: self-perception of weight and physical fitness, aesthetic reasons to diet, self-weighing as a way to feel better and body image perception have been related to a constellation of risks to develop both body image dissatisfaction and eating behavior disturbances, especially among adolescents. Objectives: to analyze weight self-perception and self-reported physical fitness, to explore the links between these variables and weight control behaviors, to explore possible relations among weight self-perception, self-reported physical fitness, dieting, self-weighing frequency and body mass index (BMI)/body image and to analyze the relation between all these variables and different eating behaviors. Methods: a total of 336 students (mean age of 12.46 ± 2.14; 47.62% females) took part in this study. Different scales were administered (weight self-perception and self-reported physical fitness, dieting, self-weighing frequency, body image perception, eating behaviors) and height and weight were measured in order to obtain the BMI. Results: mean BMI was 20.18 ± 3.58 and 41.14% of participants had overweight/obesity. Among those who perceived themselves as overweight,76.92% were girls. More than 70% of participants reported average or good physical fitness and more boys reported good or excellent physical fitness. Almost 60% of participants who planned to diet for aesthetic reasons were girls, and girls more than boys self-weighed to feel better. BMI was significantly correlated with body image dissatisfaction/restrictive eating. Conclusions: there are clear links between weight self-perception, body image, dieting, self-weighing and eating behaviors at an age which might be considered as a starting point to eating behavior disturbances

Introducción: la autopercepción del peso y de la forma física, razones estéticas para hacer dieta, pesarse como método para sentirse mejor y la percepción de la imagen corporal se han relacionado con una constelación de riesgos para desarrollar tanto insatisfacción corporal como alteraciones alimentarias, especialmente en adolescentes. Objetivos: analizar la autopercepción del peso y de la forma física, explorar los vínculos entre estas variable y conductas de control de peso, explorar posibles relaciones entre la autopercepción del peso y de la forma física, realización de dietas, frecuencia con la que se pesan los adolescentes e índice de masa corporal (IMC)/imagen corporal, así como la relación de todo ello con diferentes conductas alimentarias. Resultados: el IMC medio fue de 20,18 ± 3,58 y el 41,14% de los participantes presentaba sobrepeso/obesidad. Entre quienes se percibían con sobrepeso, el 76,92% eran chicas. Más del 70% de los participantes decían estar en una buena forma física o en la media y eran más los chicos los que decían estar en buena o excelente forma física. Casi el 60% de los participantes que planeaban hacer dieta por razones estéticas eran chicas y ellas más que los chicos se pesaban para sentirse mejor. El IMC correlacionó significativamente con la subescala imagen corporal/ ingesta restrictiva. Conclusiones: existen claros vínculos entre autopercepción ponderal, imagen corporal, realización de dietas, pesarse y conductas alimentarias en una edad que podría considerarse como un punto de partida para la presentación de alteraciones alimentarias