The relationship between body mass index and body image in Brazilian adults.

Abstract

The aim of this work was to assess the relationship between nutritional status and body image perception in Brazilian adults. Participants included 280 adults (18-60 years) of both genders. The sample was composed proportionally to the Brazilian nutritional status distribution according to body mass index, with volunteers of all economic classes and educational levels. We applied a Figure Rating Scale to examine body image concerning size and shape. Both men and women were dissatisfied with their body size. Regarding body discrepancy, eutrophic adults overestimated their body size and desired leaner bodies. Our results also showed that the higher the BMI, the smaller the differences between men and women. These findings reinforce that body image perception is an important factor to be considered by health professionals in order to improve quality of life.

Household food insecurity and excess weight/obesity among Brazilian women and children: a life-course approach

“…In addition parents may also protect children and adolescents from some of the harmful effects of HFI. It is also possible that strong concerns with body image, common among young Brazilian women 22,23 , may protect them from the obesogenic influence of HFI until the problem becomes so severe that they can no longer cope without changing lifestyle behaviors, which lead to body fat accumulation.…”

Body mass index and body image perception in older adults

“…Thus, additional research, with a larger and heterogeneous sample is recommended. Nevertheless, our results allowed us to analyse body image perception and BMI in a group that is seldom studied in regard to this topic [10].…”

Influência do padrão de beleza veiculado pela mídia na satisfação corporal e escolha alimentar de adultos

“…questionários autopreenchíveis, softwares e escalas de figuras de silhuetas). Merecem destaque, entre os métodos disponíveis para avaliação da população adulta brasileira, as escalas construídas por Kakeshita (2008). Trata-se de um instrumento constituído por 30 figuras (15 de cada sexo), cada qual correspondendo a um intervalo específico de Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC), variando, portanto, de uma silhueta muito magra a uma muito obesa.…”

“…Enquanto alguns estudos demonstram que homens e mulheres superestimam seu tamanho corporal (Kakeshita, Silva, Zanatta, & Almeida, 2009;McCabe, Ricciardelli, Sitaram, & Mikhail, 2006;Tanaka, Itoh, & Hattori, 2002), outros evidenciam uma tendência a superestimação entre o sexo feminino e subestimação entre o masculino (Kakeshita & Almeida, 2006). Ademais, diferenças na magnitude desta inacurácia entre os sexos não foram observadas por alguns autores (Kagawa et al, 2007), mas foram por outros Kakeshita & Almeida, 2008;Xavier et al, 2012), indicando que mulheres são menos precisas ao estimar o tamanho de seus corpos.…”

“…É consenso entre os pesquisadores que o sexo feminino é mais insatisfeito (Coqueiro et al, 2008;Damasceno et al, 2005;Kagawa et al, 2007;Kakeshita & Almeida 2006;Quadros et al, 2010) e que, enquanto a maioria das mulheres relata um anseio por uma silhueta menor Kakeshita & Almeida, 2008;Kakeshita et al, 2009;, os homens se dividem entre os que querem pesar mais e os que querem pesar menos Rech et al, 2010;Xavier et al, 2012).…”