The association of weight status and weight perception with number of confidants in adolescents.

Asuka Nishida,Atsushi Nishida,Yuji Okazaki,Jerome Clifford Foo,Fumiharu Togo,Shinji Shimodera,Tsukasa Sasaki,Kenji Hashimoto

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0225908

Abstract

Weight status and self-weight perception are related to social relationship issues. Studies have suggested links between non-normal weight status or weight perception and youths having fewer confidants, but these relationships are unclear and remain to be studied. This preliminary cross-sectional study examined the effects of weight status and weight perception on the number of confidants in adolescents. Self-report data from 15,279 grade 7-12 students (54.2% boys) were analyzed. The number of confidants (0-3 or ≥ 4) was examined, according to five weight status categories (underweight, low-normal weight, mid-normal weight (reference), high-normal weight, overweight, with Body Mass Index corresponding to ≤ 18.5, ≤ 20.0, ≤ 22.5, ≤ 25.0 and > 25.0 in adults, respectively), and five weight perception categories (too thin, a bit thin, good (reference), a bit fat, too fat). Boys and girls who were overweight and those who perceived themselves to be too fat were significantly more likely to have few confidants. High-normal weight in girls and self-perception of being a bit fat in boys were also associated with having few confidants. In boys, underweight and self-perception of being too thin were additionally associated with having few confidants. Adolescents with non-normal weight status or weight perception may have fewer confidants and require more social support.

Highlights

Adolescence is a sensitive developmental period in which youths acquire more sophistication in social interactions and experience changes in social expectations [1]
weight perception of self (WP) for boys had a normal distribution, while the distribution of girls was skewed toward the perception of being fat
Most associations remained significant after controlling for depressive and anxiety symptoms, suggesting that adolescents with non-normal weight status (WS) or WP, even when they are currently without the symptoms, may be more likely to have few confidants compared with their reference counterparts

Summary

Introduction

Adolescence is a sensitive developmental period in which youths acquire more sophistication in social interactions and experience changes in social expectations [1]. The prevalence of mental health problems increases sharply [2]. Among these problems are depressive disorders, self-harm, and anxiety disorders, which are some of the top ten leading causes of Disability-Adjusted Life Years [3] lost by adolescents [4]. One factor that protects adolescents from mental health problems is having access to confidants; people to whom these. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion