Body weight perception and associated factors in students

Abstract

Objective: analyze the association between body weight perception and related variables in Elementary School students. Methods: cross-sectional study performed in 2007 with students aged 8 to 17, residents of Vitoria (ES). Anthropometric, demographic, socioeconomic and sexual maturation data were collected. Body weight perception was established by one single question of what the students thought of their own body weight in relation to their height. Logistic regression analysis stratified by gender was used to verify the associations among body weight perception and age, body mass index, waist circumference, pubertal stage and socioeconomic status. The reference category for analysis was "adequate weight perception". Results: three hundred and ninety-seven students participated in the study, 52.4% were females, and the age average (standard deviation) was 12 (1.84) years. Nutritional status for boys and girls showed, respectively, 21.7% and 20.1% overweight, 76.9% and 77.8% normal weight for height, 1.4% and 2.1% underweight. There was statistic association between body weight perception and nutritional status (overweight) for both genders (boys: OR = 6.76, girls: OR = 19.58), and age (10 to 14 years) for boys (OR = 0.40). The other variables did not show any association. Conclusion: body weight perception was associated with nutritional status in both genders, and with age only for boys. This reinforces the need of health professionals to monitor these adolescents in order for them to have a better understanding of their own bodies.

Association among sexual maturation, overweight and central adiposity in children and adolescents at two schools in são Paulo

“…Production of such hormones results in the appearance of secondary sex characteristics defining puberty onset 9 . The effect of changes during the beginning of puberty also causes a contrast in emotional development according to sex 10 . In the 1970s, Frish and Revelle 11 used population studies on the age at me-narche to suggest that weighing about 48 kilograms is needed for normal development and the first menstrual cycle (critical weight hypothesis).…”

Weight self-perception in adolescents: evidence from a population-based study

“…Body image is a multidimensional construct that involves self-perception (picture created in one's mind regarding the size and shape of one's body) and attitudes (thoughts, feelings and behaviours). Thus, body image has two main components: the degree of accuracy regarding the perception of body size and the subjective level of (dis)satisfaction with one's body and appearance, which involves beliefs and emotions (1,2) . Body weight self-perception is the level of agreement between an individual's perceived weight status and actual weight (3) .…”

Multilevel analysis of factors that influence overweight in children: research in schools enrolled in northern Brazil School Health Program

“…These values were higher than those found in Latin America [11,42], but lower than those of children in the Brazilian urban environment [43]. Comparing with researches in other regions of Brazil, these values were lower than those reported for the South [44][45][46][47], Southeast [48][49][50], and Northeast [51,52], but higher than those from Central-West [53][54][55], Southeast [56][57][58], and Northeast [59][60][61]. We found that being overweight/obesity was associated with high consumption of sugar-rich foods, performance of 2+ sedentary activities/day, and cardiorespiratory fitness reduction, results that were similar to those reported elsewhere [2].…”