Adolescent body weight perception: Association with diet and physical activity behaviors

In an effort to understand the degree of the pervasiveness of weight misperception, and its relationship with diet and physical activity, in a population of American adolescents, Dues et al. (2020) conducted the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, examining a sample of 12,016 participants ( 74.9% between the ages of 15-17, 31.8% overweight/obese, 54.5% Whites, 52% females) that were divided into four categories based on their perceived and actual weight, these groups were termed “true negative” (normal body mass index [BMI] and accurate weight perception), “false negative” (high BMI and inaccurate weight perception), “false positive” (normal BMI and inaccurate weight perception) and “true positive” (high BMI and accurate weight perception). Comparing dietary intake and physical activity, 22.9% of the adolescents inaccurately perceived their weight, with 11.3% underestimating and 11.6% overestimating their weight. In addition, a relationship was observed between weight misperception and the likelihood to avoid physical activity and consuming a healthy diet. [NPID: Adolescents, diet, exercise, obesity, overweight, weight perception]

Year: 2020

Reference: Dues, K., Kandiah, J., Khubchandani, J., & Haroldson, A. (2020). Adolescent Body Weight Perception: Association With Diet and Physical Activity Behaviors. The Journal of school nursing : the official publication of the National Association of School Nurses, 36(5), 339–347. https://doi.org/10.1177/1059840518824386