Analysis of Health-Related Behaviors of Adult Korean Women at Normal BMI with Different Body Image Perceptions: Results from the 2013-2017 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES).

Seyeon Park,Seunghui Baek,Jieun Shin

doi:10.3390/ijerph17155534

Abstract

The tendency of misperceiving one’s body image was found to be higher among those at normal body mass index (BMI). Thus, the present study aims to provide basic data to seek solutions for ideal physical activities and right body image perception by comparing health-related behaviors of women at normal BMI. Among the 39,225 respondents from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) conducted from 2013 to 2017, 10,798 adult women with World Health Organization (WHO) BMI Classifications of 18.5 ≤ BMI < 25 (Asia-Pacific) were considered, from which pregnant and breast-feeding women and women whose body image perception was not identified were excluded, leading to a total of 9288 women. Data were analyzed utilizing SAS ver. 9.4 for frequency analysis, cross tabulation, GLM (generalized linear model), and logistic regression analysis with complex samples design, in conformity with the guidelines of the KNHNES. The results showed that approximately most (87.6%) of adult Korean women misperceived their body image. Misperception of body image was related to inappropriate health-related behaviors such as smoking, insufficient sleeping, and excessive body weight management; those who had underestimated their body image (≤64 odds ratio (OR) (0.718 (confidence interval (C.I.) 0.594–0.866))) carried out fewer health-related behaviors, while women aged 65 or above engaged in more health-related behaviors when they perceived themselves as obese (OR 1.683 (C.I. 1.260–2.248; overestimation)). To sum up, it was found that lack of health management, inappropriate body weight control, and health-related behaviors are related to body image misperception compared with real BMI. As such, it is necessary to have educational programs to encourage building proper perception of one’s body image and body weight, and to carry out health-related behaviors.

Highlights

Along with improved standard of living, obesity is on the rise, placing more burdens on the global community
The percentage of women with overestimated body image perception differed by age group: those in their twenties, thirties, and forties were at 37%; those in their fifties were at 31.6%; while those in their sixties and seventies or above were at 28.3% and 11.6%, respectively
A higher income quintile meant higher overestimated perception. Those working in the service and sales sector had 39.6% of overestimated body image perception, and office workers followed with 37.6%—both of which are relatively higher than other types

Summary

Methods

This study was conducted using data from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition. Examination Surveys (KNHANES VI, 2013–2015), a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted by the Korean Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Seoul, Korea) to assess the health and nutritional status of the South Korean population. The 6th National Health and Nutrition Examination. 2020 after obtaining approval to utilize the raw data of the National Health Nutrition Survey to the public. The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES) is a representative and reliable survey conducted nationwide on the health status, health awareness, and nutritional status of Koreans. The KNHNES is a nationwide health and nutrition survey initiated under article 16 of the National Health Promotion

Results

Discussion

Conclusion