The association between misperceptions around weight status and quality of life in adults in Australia

Abstract

BackgroundLimited evidence supports a possible association between a person’s perception of their weight status and their quality of life (QoL). This study evaluates whether misperception around weight status is associated with QoL and the impact of gender on this association.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of Australian adults (n = 1,905 analysed) collected self-reported height and weight (used to estimate BMI), gender and QoL (described using the AQoL-8D). Participants reported whether they perceived their weight status to be ‘underweight’, ‘healthy weight’, ‘overweight’ or ‘obese’. Misperception around weight status was categorised based on perceived weight status and self-reported BMI. Ordinary least squares regression was used to test associations between self-reported overall, physical and psychosocial QoL, misperception of weight status, and gender, across different BMI categories, after controlling for income, education, relationship status and health conditions.ResultsCompared to accurate perception, underestimation of weight status was associated with higher overall QoL for obese males and females and for overweight males. Overestimation of weight status was associated with higher overall QoL for underweight females and lower overall QoL for healthy weight males and females. The same pattern was seen for psychosocial QoL. Physical QoL was less sensitive to misperception than psychosocial QoL.ConclusionsSelf-reported misperception around weight status is associated with overall, psychosocial and to a lesser extent physical QoL in Australian adults, although its role depends on BMI category and gender. Generally misperception in the direction of “healthy weight” is associated with higher QoL and overestimation of weight status by those who are of healthy weight is associated with lower QoL. Findings should be confirmed in datasets that contain measured as opposed to self-report height and weight.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12955-017-0627-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Bodyweight Misperception by Chinese American Females Influenced by Cultural and Social Ideals: Implication for Home Health Care

“…8,10,11,14,41 Both weight underestimation and overestimation have undesirable consequences on an adult's awareness of the aspects for health-related QoL. 3,5,42 Adults with bodyweight misperception have an impaired QoL, engage in unhealthy lifestyle practices, develop an impaired self-perceived health status, and achieve a body weight such as obesity that contributes to the onset of chronic diseases. 5,20,43 In fact, bodyweight misperception was a significant indicator of obesity for elderly Chinese Americans because they would underestimate their body weight although the BMI indicated that they were "obese."…”

“…44,45 Bodyweight misperception can impact a person's lifestyle and health-related behavior, which are crucial determinants of health. 5,42 Both underestimation and overestimation of one's body weight pose a high risk for poor physical health and psychosocial dysphoria. 8,14,25,41 For instance, the leading indicator of health status, a measurement of the Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) concept, can be negatively impacted from the effect of bodyweight misperception on overall physical, psychological well-being, life-satisfaction, and quality of living, dimensions of HRQoL.…”

Obezite farkındalığı ve içgörü ölçeği: geçerlilik ve güvenirlik çalışması

“…ve depressif semptom yaşadıkları belirlenmiştir (12). Fazla kilolu bireylerin vücut ağırlık durumlarını doğru bir şekilde belirleyememesi, etkisiz kilo yönetimi ve yaşam kalitesinin olumsuz etkilenmesi açısından ciddi risk faktörleri olarak vurgulanmaktadır (13)(14)(15). Yapılan araştırmalarda hastalık farkındalığının bozulması ya da fazla kilolu/obez olduğunu kabul etmeme durumunun sağlıklı yaşam tarzı değişikliklerine bir engel olduğu, negatif klinik sonuçlara katkıda bulunduğu ve sağlık kurumuna başvuru oranları ile ilişkili olduğu gösterilmiştir (15)(16)(17).…”

Weight underestimation linked to anxiety and depression in a cross-sectional study of overweight individuals in a Sami and non-Sami Norwegian population: the SAMINOR Study

“…The latter may be through dissatisfaction with own weight, which is linked to low self-esteem and further to depression 14. Several studies have found that individuals with overweight/obesity who underestimate their weight report better quality of life than those who have an accurate weight perception,15–18 and recent findings suggest weight underestimation in people with overweight/obesity to be protective against depression 18–20. Interestingly, weight underestimation may also protect against future depression indicating weight perception to matter in a causal relationship with depression development 18.…”