Black and White Adolescents'' Perceptions of Their Weight

Black and white adolescents' perceptions of their weight were examined in this study. A 22-item questionnaire on weight perceptions and weight control was administered to 341 adolescents from two inner city schools in the midwest (138 black and 193 white students). Students were classified as thin, normal, or heavy based on National Health Survey data on height and weight measurements for youth ages 12-17. Significant differences (p less than .05) occurred in how the heavy black and white males and females perceived their weight in comparison to actual weight. All heavy white females perceived they were heavy, in comparison to only 40% of heavy black females; 78% of heavy white males labeled themselves heavy vs. 36% of heavy black males. Thin black and white females were dieting and exercising to lose weight and thin white males were exercising to lose weight. Black males were significantly more likely to believe emotions did not affect their weight when compared to white males. Black females believed exercise levels accounted for their weight, while white females attributed their weight to eating habits. Beliefs about exercise and eating contributed 23% to the variance found in perceived weight status of black males. White males believed access to food and their emotions accounted for their perceived weight. Leading sources of weight control information regardless of ethnicity were television, family members, friends and magazines for females; males used TV, family members, and athletic coaches.     

Nutrition Beliefs and Weight Loss Practices of Lakota Indian Adults

Primary objectives were to describe beliefs about diet and health, weight perceptions, and weight loss practices among Lakota Indian adults. In-person interviews were conducted with a total of 219 adults from two reservations in South Dakota. Overall, 55.5% of the sample was overweight. When asked how they perceived their body weight, 6% felt they were “too thin,” 43.4% thought they were “about right,” and 50.2% felt they were “too fat.” When asked what they were doing about their weight, 74% said they were either trying to lose weight or trying to keep from gaining more weight. Reducing the amount of food eaten (90%), eating more fruits and vegetables (86%), increasing physical activity (84%), and skipping meals (82%) were reported to have been used by most of those who had dieted. Of those who felt they needed to lose weight, 78% said they would join a weight loss program if one were offered. Findings indicate that most Lakota adults are concerned about obesity and are attempting to either lose excess weight or avoid gaining weight. Intervention efforts for this population should focus on providing individuals with guidance on effective strategies for weight loss or obesity prevention. Weight loss programs should include features identified as important by survey participants, such as information on how to fit a healthful diet and exercise into daily life.     

Self-perception of body weight, weight management practices and goals, and other weight-related factors in central and eastern European adolescents

Self-perception of body weight, management practices and goals, and other weight-related factors were assessed among a sample of 2,566 adolescents from 30 high schools in Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, and Poland. Students who perceived themselves as much too fat were more likely than those with other weight perceptions to engage in weight management practices to lose weight, have higher body mass index, rate themselves lower on physical attractiveness, and estimate higher percentages of their same-sex friends as trying to lose weight. Similar to other research, boys and girls differed on self-perception of weight and other weight-related factors. Cross-cultural comparisons between central and eastern European adolescents and U.S. adolescents, as well as east and southeast Asian youth are made. Implications for health education practice are discussed.     

Weight Management,Weight Perceptions,and Health-Compromising Behaviours Among Adolescent Girls in the COMPASS Study

Evidence suggests associations between weight management intentions, weight perceptions, and health-compromising behaviours among adolescent girls. Drawing on cross-sectional data for 21,456 girls, we employed multinomial logistic regression to examine whether smoking, binge drinking, and breakfast-skipping were associated with weight management intentions and weight perceptions. According to self-reported heights and weights, 61.4% of girls were in the healthy weight category. However, most reported trying to manage their weight, with 58% trying to lose, 4.5% trying to gain, and 18% trying to maintain their weight. Smokers were more likely than non-smokers to report intentions to lose, gain, or maintain weight versus to do nothing. However, smokers were less likely than non-smokers to perceive themselves as underweight or overweight versus about the right weight. Binge drinkers were more likely than other girls to report an intention to gain and less likely to be trying to maintain their weight versus doing nothing, and breakfast-skippers were more likely to report trying to lose or gain weight but less likely to report trying to maintain weight versus doing nothing. Binge drinkers and breakfast-skippers were more likely than non-binge drinkers and non-breakfast-skippers, respectively, to perceive themselves as underweight, overweight or very overweight versus about the right weight. In sum, the majority of girls reported trying to manage their weight, and those engaging in other health-compromising behaviours were more likely to do so, though the exact nature of the associations differed by behaviour. Recognition of shared underlying risk factors for this clustering of behaviours may inform comprehensive health promotion efforts.     

Characteristics and Behaviors of Non-overweight College Students Who are Trying to Lose Weight

The purpose of the current study was to examine characteristics and behaviors of college students who perceive themselves as underweight or about the right weight, yet report trying to lose weight, as compared to their counterparts. Participants included 944 students (M = 20.4 years, 61.1 % White; 64.7 % female) at a southwestern university. A composite of perceived weight and weight-related behavior was created. Participants who reported they were under- or about the right weight and trying to lose weight were included in this composite group. Cross-sectional logistic regression analyses were run to assess characteristics and behaviors of the composite group. Individuals in this group were significantly more likely to be women, in a fraternity/sorority, have a lower body mass index, engage in regular vigorous physical activity, exercise and/or diet to lose weight, and engage in unhealthy weight-control behaviors. These individuals were not more likely than their counterparts to consume 5 or more servings of fruits/vegetables daily, to engage in moderate physical activity, or to report smoking cigarettes in the past month. Further research is needed to understand why individuals who perceive themselves as under- or about the right weight engage in certain weight-loss behaviors. Interventions to target weight-related perceptions and behaviors among college-age individuals may need to address unhealthy weight-control measures.     

Obesity in Inner‐city African Americans

Objective. Obesity, a risk factor for chronic diseases, has a high prevalence in African Americans and low‐income individuals. However, little is known about perceptions of overweight, attempts to lose weight, and strategies used to lose weight among African Americans in inner cities.

Design. A 1990 cross‐sectional telephone survey (n = 1445) of north St Louis and central Kansas City, USA.

Results. Obesity was common (44%) in this sample of inner‐city African Americans. The obese perceived themselves as overweight (70%) and were trying to lose weight (66%). The majority of the obese (68%) were both dieting and exercising to lose weight. Smoking prevalence was not higher among the obese or those trying to lose weight. Many of the obese had received medical advice recently on low‐fat diets (51%) and had been advised to lose weight (40%). Factors independently associated with perception, attempts to lose weight and medical advice differed, but included degree of obesity.

Conclusions. These results corroborate US national data that obesity is a public health problem in this population and that obese inner‐city African Americans perceive themselves as overweight and are trying to lose weight, especially as degree of obesity increases. It also appears that smoking is not being used as a weight loss strategy and that the obese, as a group, are receiving some medical advice on low‐fat diets. This information is critical for designing culturally sensitive weight‐control programmes.     

Weight management and fruit and vegetable intake among US high school students

Background: Consumption of fruits and vegetables is often recommended to promote healthy weight. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between fruit and vegetable intake and common weight management behaviors among US high school students who were trying to lose or stay the same weight. Methods: Data from the 1999, 2001, and 2003 national high school Youth Risk Behavior Surveys were combined and the analyses stratified by gender (females, N = 16,709; males, N = 10,521). We considered 3 common weight management strategies—being physically active (ie, moderate activity for 30 minutes on 5 or more days per week or vigorous activity for 20 minutes on 3 or more days per week), eating a reduced calorie or fat diet, and limiting TV viewing. Sufficient fruit and vegetable intake was defined as eating 5 or more servings per day. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression. Results: Only 21.3% of females and 24.7% of males ate sufficient fruits and vegetables. Being physically active was associated with sufficient fruit and vegetable intake. Eating a reduced calorie or fat diet and limiting TV viewing (among males) were associated with sufficient fruit and vegetable intake only among physically active students. The odds of sufficient fruit and vegetable intake were greatest among female (OR = 3.01) and male (OR = 2.91) students who combined all 3 strategies (31.5% of females, 21.6% of males). Conclusions: Interventions that promote fruit and vegetable intake within the context of healthy weight management may be more effective if they combine nutrition and physical activity strategies. Further research is needed to test this approach.     

Racial differences in selection of ideal body size by adolescent females

Cultural differences may partially account for the fact that more black women than white women are overweight in the United States. This study measured perceptions of ideal body size among 93 black and 80 white females, 14-17 years old, who were randomly selected from three public high schools in a southeastern state. The subjects' height and weight were measured along with their estimates of their mother's body size, weight control attitudes, and demographic variables. Blacks preferred a significantly larger body size than whites when asked to select ideal body size (p = 0.045). Subjects who estimated their mother's size to be larger, also selected a larger ideal body size (p = .047). Those who perceived themselves as too fat were more likely to skip meals to help control their weight, compared with those who perceived themselves as normal or too thin (p = .003). Approximately 30% of the sample was overweight or obese. There were not significant racial differences in weight or BMI. These results suggest that overweight is more acceptable among black females than among white females and may help explain why more black females are obese.     

Television viewing and obesity in adult females.

We measured the relation between time spent watching television per week and obesity in 4,771 adult females. After controlling for age, education, cigarette smoking, length of work week, and weekly duration of exercise, females who reported three to four hours of TV viewing per day showed almost twice the prevalence of obesity (body fat greater than 30 percent), and those who reported more than four hours of TV watching per day showed more than double the prevalence of obesity, compared to the reference group (less than 1 hr/day). Part of the TV/obesity association was a function of differences in exercise duration among the four TV viewing categories.     

Gender Differences in Body Weight Perception and Weight-Loss Strategies of College Students

Gender differences in college students' perceptions and satisfaction with body weight were examined. Females tended to perceivev themselves as overweight when they were not, failed to see themselves as underweight when they were, and many of those who did not see themselves as even slightly overweight wanted to lose weight. Although males reported some dissatisfaction with their bodies, they tended to want to gain rather than lose weight. Females dieted more frequently than did males, and nearly one-third of the females reported either self-induced vomiting or laxative use as a weight-loss strategy. The relationship between social pressure for female slenderness, dieting, and eating disorders are discussed.     

Self-reported weight perceptions, dieting behavior, and breakfast eating among high school adolescents

This study explored the relationships among weight perceptions, dieting behavior, and breakfast eating in 4597 public high school adolescents using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Adjusted multiple logistic regression models were constructed separately for race and gender groups via SUDAAN (Survey Data Analysis). Adjusted odds ratios [ORs] and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to determine the strength of relationships. Approximately 42% of the sample reported not eating breakfast within the past 5 days, while 41% were trying to lose weight, and 37% were dieting to lose weight. Excessive dietary practices (eg, fasting, taking diet pills or laxatives, and vomiting to lose weight) were reported by approximately 25% of the sample. When compared to those eating breakfast within the past 5 days, all race and gender groups that did not report eating breakfast were significantly more likely to report fasting to lose weight (ORs = 1.70-2.97). In addition, all race/gender groups, with the exception of black females, were significantly more likely to perceive themselves as overweight (ORs = 1.44-1.61) and trying to lose weight (ORs = 1.40-1.72). Among males, not eating breakfast was significantly associated with taking diet pills to lose weight (ORs = 2.31-2.40), eating fewer calories to lose weight (ORs = 1.38-1.49), and inversely associated with trying to gain weight (ORs = 0.71-0.74). Results suggest that these adolescents may be skipping breakfast as part of a patterned lifestyle of unhealthy weight management and that efforts to encourage youth to eat breakfast will likely not ameliorate all dietary challenges that appear beyond the scope of increased breakfast offerings.     

Weight management goals and practices among U.S. high school students: associations with physical activity, diet, and smoking.

PURPOSE: To examine associations of physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and cigarette smoking with weight management goals and practices of U.S. high school students.METHODS: Data were from the 1999 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a representative sample of U.S. high school students (n = 15,349). Adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated to describe associations, controlling for demographic characteristics.RESULTS: Based on self-reported height and weight, 25% of students were either overweight (11%) or at risk for becoming overweight (14%). However, 43% of students were trying to lose weight and 19% of students were trying to maintain their current weight. Female students were less likely than male students to be overweight, but more likely to be trying to lose weight. Trying to lose weight was associated with vigorous physical activity (OR = 1.5), strengthening exercises (OR = 2.2), and cigarette smoking (OR = 1.4) among female students; and vigorous physical activity (OR = 1.6), strengthening exercises (OR = 1.8), and eating > or =5 servings/day of fruits and vegetables (OR = 1.5) among male students. Among students trying to lose weight or stay the same weight, only 62% of females and 41% of males combined exercise with a reduced fat and calorie diet, while 32% of females and 17% of males used unhealthy weight control methods (fasting, diet pills, vomiting, or laxatives).CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to promote healthy weight management among adolescents are needed and should place greater emphasis on combining physical activity with a reduced fat and calorie diet, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, and discouraging smoking and other unhealthy weight control practices.     

Weight Management Efforts,But Not Weight Perceptions,Are Associated with Dietary Quality among Youth and Young Adults in Canada

BackgroundEfforts to lose, gain, or maintain weight are prevalent among youth and young adults, but little is known about the relationship between weight management efforts and dietary quality. Attempts to manage weight are typically driven by weight perceptions, which may also uniquely affect overall diet.ObjectiveThe objective was to explore sex-stratified associations between weight management efforts and perceptions with dietary quality among youth and young adults.DesignCross-sectional online survey data were drawn from Wave 1 (2016) of the Canada Food Study.Participants/settingYouth and young adults (n = 3,000), aged 16 to 30 years, were recruited from community settings in five Canadian cities and completed the online survey. The analytic sample consisted of 2,040 participants.Main outcome measuresThe Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) was used to characterize dietary quality among participants who completed a 24-hour recall. Respondents reported their weight change efforts over the past year and their weight perception.Statistical analyses performedSex-stratified multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate relationships between each of weight management efforts and perceptions, separately, and dietary quality, controlling for known covariates.ResultsThe HEI-2015 mean score was 52 of 100 possible points. Nearly one quarter of male and female respondents reported not trying to do anything about their weight, whereas 16% reported trying to maintain, 28% and 5% trying to gain, and 33% and 55% trying to lose weight, respectively. Most respondents (63% of males and 66% of females) perceived their weight as just about right. Among males, trying to gain or maintain weight were each significantly associated with higher HEI-2015 mean scores compared with not trying to manage weight (P < .01 and <.001, respectively), whereas this relationship existed only for weight maintenance among female respondents (P < .01). Weight perceptions and HEI-2015 mean scores were not significantly related.ConclusionsEfforts to manage weight, which are commonplace among youth and young adults, are associated with dietary quality. Future behavioral research may provide insights into strategies used by youth to manage weight, guiding interventions that recognize links among weight-related behaviors, dietary quality, and other determinants of health.     

Weight Control Strategies of Overweight Adolescents Who Successfully Lost Weight

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the differences in weight control behaviors, dietary intake, and physical activity between overweight adolescents who lost weight and overweight adolescents who did not lose weight. This cross-sectional study compared 62 overweight adolescents who lost weight in the past with 68 overweight adolescents who did not lose weight. Youth responded to questions regarding weight control behaviors during the past year, physical activity, sedentary activity, and dietary intake. Results showed that adolescents who lost weight were more likely to report using healthful weight control behaviors such as drinking less soda and increasing their exercise level, self-weighing, consuming diets higher in protein, and spending less time watching television compared to overweight adolescents who did not lose weight. Unhealthful weight control behaviors and specific weight loss plans were not associated with weight loss in these teenagers. Adolescents would benefit from hearing this information to prevent the development of these behaviors. Providers should advise adolescents to engage in healthful weight control behaviors, such as increasing physical activity and decreasing the amount of time spent watching television, to assist with weight management.     

Weight satisfaction and dieting practices among college males in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain baseline data regarding body mass index (BMI), weight satisfaction and weight perception in male college students. Approaches used to lose weight and characteristics of dieters were also investigated. METHODS: Written questionnaires and height and weight measurements were used to collect data. Nine-hundred thirty male college students selected by multiple stage sampling among colleges in Taiwan participated in this study. Simple frequency and ANOVA were used to analyze data. Post hoc analyses were performed with the LSD test when the F ratio for the ANOVA was significant at p<0.05. RESULTS: The mean BMI for all subjects was 21.7. Males with a BMI < or =22.5 are considered thin by Taiwanese and world standards. Yet 34% of these males were attempting to lose weight and 14% percent perceived themselves as either overweight or obese. Exercise was the main approach to losing weight for subjects in all weight categories. Subjects in the dissatisfied/dieting group tended to measure body weight more frequently (p<0.05), spent more time exercising and reading nutrition information (p<0.05) and skipped breakfast and lunch more frequently (p<0.05) than non-dieters. Male dieters ate fewer vegetables and less meat than non-dieters. CONCLUSIONS: Male college students had frequent misconceptions and dissatisfaction with their body weight. Behavioral characteristics among those dissatisfied with their weight indicate they are at risk for developing eating disorders.     

A study of body weight concerns and weight control practices of 4th and 7th grade adolescents

Objective. The purpose of this study was to assess grade, race, socioeconomic status and gender differences in perceptions of body size, weight concerns, and weight control practices between 4th and 7th grade students in South Carolina. Design. Two random samples, consisting of a total of 1,597 children (53.1% white, 51.97% female, 44.9% 4th graders) participated in two questionnaire surveys. Both surveys included a series of seven female and seven male body size drawings, body image and weight concern questions, and questions pertaining to weight control practices. Responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using chi-square analysis and the General Linear Model. Results. Using socioeconomic status (SES), race, gender, and grade as independent variables, differences in ideal adult body size, opposite gender ideal adult body size, weight concerns, perceptions of family/peer weight concerns, perceptions of own body size and weight control practices were studied. Analyses revealed that 4th grade males select a larger ideal adult body size and opposite gender ideal adult body size when compared to 7th grade males ( p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0078, respectively). Fourth grade females indicated less personal concern about their weight than 7th grade females ( p = 0.0009). Fourth graders also perceived less family/peer concern about weight than 7th graders ( p = 0.0027) and 7th graders described themselves as being more overweight than 4th graders ( p = 0.0039). Blacks selected a significantly larger body size than white children for ideal adult ( p = 0.0287) and ideal opposite gender adult body size ( p < 0.0001 for males, p = 0.0030 for females). Blacks also perceived less personal and family/peer concern about weight when compared to whites ( p = 0.0083). More whites reported that they were trying to lose weight, as compared to blacks ( p = 0.0010). Males also selected significantly larger body size silhouettes than females for ideal adult body size ( p = 0.0012). Males expressed less personal concern about weight ( p < 0.0001), perceived less family/peer concern about weight ( p < 0.0001), and were less likely than females to be engaged in weight loss ( p < 0.0001). Females in the high SES category selected a significantly smaller ideal male adult body size than females in the low SES group ( p = 0.0124) and more females in the high SES category were trying to lose weight when compared to females in the low SES group ( p = 0.0055).) Conclusion. This study indicates that early in a child's sociocultural development, grade level, gender, race, and SES are influential in the perception of ideal adult body size and opposite gender ideal adult body size. These factors are also influential in determining concerns about weight and weight control practices. The findings of this study support the need to begin health and wellness education efforts early in childhood while taking into account racial, gender, age, and SES disparities. This knowledge can also be useful in targeting interventions for both obesity and eating disorders.     

Ecologic correlates of obesity in rural obese adults

OBJECTIVE: We examined relationships of individual and environmental factors with obesity and trying to lose weight in rural residents. METHODS: The joint contributions of individual and environmental factors on obesity status (obese vs. morbidly obese) and trying to lose weight (yes vs. no) were evaluated using generalized estimating equations. Patients at 29 clinics in rural areas (N = 414, M age 55.0 years (SD = 15.4), 66.3% female) completed anthropometric assessments of weight and height along with survey assessments of individual sociodemographics and trying to lose weight. Rural environments were assessed on aggregated physician access, and sociodemographic context. RESULTS: Most participants (70%, M BMI = 38.3) were obese and 30% morbidly obese. A majority (73%, n = 302) of the sample was trying to lose weight. Compared to obese, morbidly obese participants were more likely to be younger, disproportionately female, not have private insurance, have more comorbid conditions, and rate themselves in worse health in comparison to their obese peers. Compared to not trying to lose weight, trying to lose weight participants were more likely to be younger, disproportionately female, have fewer comorbid conditions, and have attempted to lose weight more times through exercise. Few relationships were seen between environmental variables and obesity or trying to lose weight. CONCLUSIONS: There was no consistent pattern of relationships between environment factors and obesity or trying to lose weight was seen. Unique aspects of rural living may not be captured by traditionally available neighborhood measures.     

A national study of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 6-12 y-old Swiss children: body mass index, body-weight perceptions and goals

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Swiss children and to obtain information on weight perceptions and weight control practices in this population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, three-stage, probability-proportionate-to-size cluster sampling. SETTING: Middle schools throughout Switzerland. SUBJECTS: A representative national sample of 595 6-12 y-old schoolchildren. INTERVENTION: Measurement of weight and height; interview on weight perceptions and weight control practices. RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and used as an indicator of overweight. The BMIs of the Swiss children were compared with US, UK, French and Swiss reference data. Depending on which reference data were used, the prevalence of obesity varied between 9.7 and 16.1% and the prevalence of overweight varied between 21.7 and 34.2%. Girls were significantly more likely to consider themselves too fat (26% and 15%, respectively) and to report currently trying to lose weight (30% and 18%, respectively) compared to boys (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of overweight in Swiss children, and its attendant health and social consequences, are important public health concerns. SPONSORSHIP: The Swiss Foundation for Nutrition Research, Zürich, Switzerland.     

Attempting to lose weight: specific practices among U.S. adults

BACKGROUND: Americans spend over $33 billion annually on weight-loss products and services. Although weight-control methods are of considerable public health interest, few national data on weight-loss practices are available. This paper examines the prevalence of specific weight-loss practices among U.S. adults trying to lose weight. METHODS: Data from the 1998 National Health Interview Survey, which was conducted through face-to-face interviews of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (n =32,440), were analyzed in 2003. RESULTS: Twenty-four percent of men and 38% of women were trying to lose weight. Attempting weight loss was less common among normal weight (body mass index [BMI]<25 kg/m(2)) people (6% men, 24% women) than overweight (BMI>/=25 to 30 kg/m(2)) people (28%, 49%) or obese (BMI>/=30 kg/m(2)) people (50%, 58%). Among those trying to lose weight, the most common strategies were eating fewer calories (58% men, 63% women); eating less fat (49%, 56%); and exercising more (54%, 52%). Less frequent strategies were skipping meals (11% men, 9% women); eating food supplements (5%, 6%); joining a weight-loss program (3%, 5%); taking diet pills (2%, 3%); taking water pills or diuretics (1%, 2%); or fasting for >/=24 hours (0.6%, 0.7%). Only one third of all those trying to lose weight reported eating fewer calories and exercising more. CONCLUSIONS: Increased efforts are needed among all those trying to lose weight to promote effective strategies for weight loss, including the use of calorie reduction and increased physical activity.     

Trends in Eating Habits and Body Weight Status,Perception Patterns and Management Practices among First-Year Students of Kaunas (Lithuania) Universities, 2000–2017

Students’ transition from high school to university is accompanied by lifestyle changes. This study aimed to assess trends in students’ body weight status, perception, management practices and eating habits from 2000 to 2017. Three cross-sectional surveys were carried out among the first-year students of five Kaunas (Lithuania) universities in 2000, 2010 and 2017. The self-administered questionnaires were filled in during lectures. Altogether, 3275 students aged 20.0 (1.5) years participated in the survey. The prevalence of self-reported overweight increased among male students from 11.3% in 2000 to 24.3% in 2017 and female students from 5.2 to 9.6%. The intake frequency of fruits, vegetables and cereals increased, and red meat decreased. At a normal BMI, more female than male students perceived themselves as being ‘too fat’ (19.4% and 8.8% in 2017), while more male than female students perceived themselves as being ‘too thin’ (37.2% and 4.5% in 2017). More females than males were dissatisfied with their weight, worried about gaining weight and tried to lose weight. Weight-management practices were associated with body weight, self-perception, dissatisfaction, worries about weight gain and eating behaviours. Our study highlights the need for interventions to increase the accuracy of weight perception and to promote the appropriate weight-management methods, addressing gender differences.