First report on body image and weight control in a nationally representative sample of a pediatric population in the Middle East and North Africa: the CASPIAN-III study

Abstract

IntroductionThis study explores the associations of weight perceptions with actual body mass index (BMI) and attempts to lose weight in a nationally representative sample of a pediatric population.Material and methodsData were collected from school students of 27 provinces in Iran, as part of “the national survey of school student high risk behaviors”. We used t-test for continuous data and chi square test for categorical data. The correlation between categorical variables was assessed by Cramer's phi test. A multiple nominal logistic regression model was fitted to data to assess the association between perceived body weight and gender by adjusting for potential confounding variables.ResultsThe study participants consisted of 5570 (2784 girls, 70% urban) students with mean age of 14.7 ±2.4 years. Overall, 17.3% of students were underweight, and 17.7% were overweight or obese. Nearly 25% and 50% of participants reported themselves as appropriate weight and very obese, respectively. In both genders, the strength of association between perceived weight and actual BMI was quite high (Cramer's phi coefficient = 0.5, p < 0.0001), and that of perceived body weight with trying to lose weight was moderate (Cramer's phi coefficient = 0.2, p < 0.0001). Overweight students were more likely than their obese peers to try to lose weight. After adjusting for possible confounders, the chance of perceiving oneself as very obese compared to perceiving oneself as very thin was 1.56-fold higher in girls than in boys, i.e. OR (95% CI): 1.56 (1.27-1.91).ConclusionsThis study revealed a considerably frequent “mismatch” between actual weight status and body shape dissatisfaction, which supports the necessity of increasing public awareness in this regard.

Joint Association of Screen Time and Physical Activity with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in a National Sample of Iranian Adolescents: The CASPIANIII Study

“…Height and weight were measured, according to standardized protocols, without shoes and with light clothing to the nearest 0.1 unit of measure (cm for height and kg for weight). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from weight and height [BMI = weight (kg) ⁄height (m2)] [ 4 , 42 ]. Waist circumference (WC) was measured over skin, midway between the lower border of the rib margin and the iliac crest at the end of normal expiration, to the nearest 0.1 cm.…”

Association of ghrelin with cardiometabolic risk factors in Iranian adolescents: the CASPIAN-III study

“…Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight (kg) divided by the square of height (m 2 ). 13 , 14 Waist circumference (WC) was measured midway between the lateral lower rib margin and the iliac crest at the end of normal expiration (cm). Abdominal obesity was defined as waist to height ratio (WHtR) more than 0.5.…”

“… 10 , 11 It acts as an insulin secretagogue but the mechanism of its effects on fat metabolism is less clear. 12 Current evidences suggest that ghrelin could contribute to the development of MetS in adults, 13 , 14 but few studies has been studied this association among adolescents and to the best of our knowledge, no study to date has been conducted on Iranian adolescents. Considering recent increasing prevalence of MetS worldwide and addressing the knowledge gap in adolescents, we aimed to explore the association between ghrelin levels and the components of MetS among Iranian adolescents.…”

Perceptions of Body Image among Youth in a Selected University of Gurugram

“…9 Media-induced myth of slimmer body image can be an important contributing factor. 8 Some studies show that reading fashion and fitness magazines, exposure to television music videos, and access to specific content through internet or social network websites, such as Facebook or Twitter, were associated with body dissatisfaction amongst adolescents due to reiterative exposure to an idealized beauty image. 10 It appears that sociocultural factors may affect female and male adolescents differently; whilst exposure to the muscular ideal has been associated with greater body dissatisfaction in male adolescents, females have reported the desire to be thinner.…”