The Association between Body Weight Misperception and Psychosocial Factors in Korean Adult Women Less than 65 Years Old with Normal Weight

Abstract

With society's increasing interest in weight control and body weight, we investigated the association between psychological factors and body image misperception in different age groups of adult Korean women with a normal weight. On a total of 4,600 women from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2009, a self-report questionnaire was used to assess body weight perception and 3 psychological factors: self-rated health status, stress recognition, and depressed mood. Through logistic regression analysis, a poor self-rated health status (P = 0.001) and a higher recognition of stress (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with body image misperception and this significance remained after controlling for several sociodemographic (Model 1: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31-2.00), health behavior and psychological factors (Model 2: aOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.29-1.96; Model 3: aOR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.01-1.84). Especially, highly stressed middle-aged (50-64 yr) women were more likely to have body image misperception (Model 2: aOR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.30-6.26). However, the correlation between depressed mood and self-reported body weight was inconsistent between different age groups. In conclusion, self-rated health status and a high recognition rate of severe stress were related to body weight misperception which could suggest tailored intervention to adult women especially women in younger age or low self-rated health status or a high recognition rate of severe stress.

Body weight misperception and psychological distress among young South Korean adults: the role of physical activity

“…This is another key finding of this study, since most other studies on this population have not taken into account PA. In one previous study examining the association between depressed mood and weight over-perception among South Korean women aged 20 to 34 years, the association became null after adjusting for PA [ 11 ]. Combined, PA should be included as a covariate when examining the relationship between body weight misperception and psychological distress in future research.…”

“…Though many factors are known to influence suicidal ideation and stress (e.g., demographics, health status, and health behaviours), body weight over-perception may be a prominent antecedent of such psychological distress regardless of PA levels. In another study, the association between high stress and body weight misperception sustained even after controlling for PA among South Korean women aged 20 to 64 years [ 11 ]. But, the association disappeared when other factors (i.e., SRH, depressed mood, suicide ideation) were further adjusted [ 11 ].…”

“…The possible responses for depressed mood and suicidal ideation were ‘yes’ or ‘no’. These measures were reported as predictors of psychological distress in previous studies [ 11 , 13 , 14 , 28 ].…”

“…For example, body weight misperception (i.e., discrepancy between individual perceptions of weight status and actual weight status based on clinical definitions of weight) [ 8 ] has been reported among individuals who are and are not affected by obesity and may be associated with various forms of psychological distress including stressed feelings, depressive mood, and suicidal ideation [ 8 – 10 ]. Recent studies with South Korean adults suggest that body weight misperception, over-perception (i.e., over-perceiving actual weight status) in particular, is associated with psychological distress including severe stress and depressed mood in women [ 11 – 13 ], and suicidal ideation in both genders [ 14 , 15 ].…”

“…In South Korea, the prevalence of weight misperception appears to be elevated in young adults relative to older adults [ 11 , 17 ]. Though the existing research has primarily focused on women, body weight under-perception is prevalent in young male adults aged 20 to 39 years and they were most likely to attempt to maintain or gain weight compared to all other age groups [ 17 ].…”