Abstract
The high prevalence of obesity has led to public policies for combating it. People with normal weight may gain greater awareness of this issue and change their perceptions of their weight. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of body weight dissatisfaction among normal-weight adolescents, according to demographic and socioeconomic variables, health-related behavior and morbidities. Population-based cross-sectional study that used data from a health survey conducted in the city of Campinas, São Paulo, in 2008-2009. The prevalence and prevalence ratios of weight dissatisfaction were estimated according to independent variables, by means of simple and multiple Poisson regression. 573 normal-weight adolescents aged 10 to 19 years (mean age 14.7 years) were analyzed. The prevalence of weight dissatisfaction was 43.7% (95% confidence interval, CI: 37.8-49.8). Higher prevalences of weight dissatisfaction were observed among females, individuals aged 15 to 19 years, those whose households had eight or more domestic appliances, former smokers, individuals who reported alcohol intake and those who had one or more chronic diseases. Lower prevalence of dissatisfaction was observed among adolescents living in substandard housing. Among the normal-weight adolescents, 26.1% wished to lose weight and 17.6% wished to gain weight. The results from this study indicate that even when weight is seen to be within the normal range, a high proportion of adolescents express dissatisfaction with their weight, especially females, older adolescents and those of higher socioeconomic level.
Highlights
It was observed that 56.2% of the adolescents with appropriate nutritional status were satisfied with their body weight
Among those who were dissatisfied with their weight, 17.6% reported a desire to gain weight, 18.0% wished to lose less than 10% of their weight and 8.1% wished to lose 10% or more
Another study conducted among 9,584 adults over the age of 20 years found that people who were dissatisfied with their weight, independent of body mass index (BMI), presented higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.[32]
Summary
Obesity is a major public health problem that contributes towards the development of other morbidities, such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes mellitus, impairing quality of life and increasing the risk of mortality.[1,2,3] The increasing prevalence of overweight raises concern regarding healthy eating and regular physical activity,[4,5] within a context permeated by the demand for an ideal body and slimness, especially among young people.[6,7] Paradoxically, advertising broadcast by the mass media encourages intake of foods of high energy density and low nutrient density, such as cookies, chips/crisps and fast-food snacks.[8,9,10]. The ideal body varies according to sex among young people. The female susceptibility to influences relating to physical appearance leads to higher risk of developing eating disorders.[18]
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Schedule a callMore From: Sao Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina
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