Body Size Misperception Research Articles

General shame and Bodily Shame in Eating Disorders: A 2.5‐Year Longitudinal Study

Studies have established a link between shame and eating disorder symptoms but have generally been cross-sectional or failed to differentiate between general shame and bodily shame. The present study addressed both these issues. This study used a longitudinal panel design. Fifty-five women with a past or current eating disorder participated. They completed measures of eating pathology, depression, general shame (internal and external) and bodily shame (current feelings of bodily shame as well as bodily shame that is anticipated were the individual to gain weight) and were followed up over 2.5 years. Bodily shame uniquely predicted an increase in anorexic (but not bulimic) symptoms. Current bodily shame predicted an increase in the degree of underweight and the misperception of body size. Anticipated bodily shame predicted an increase in fear of weight gain. Current versus anticipated bodily shame predicts different anorexic symptoms. Both therefore should be considered in developing interventions and aetiological models of anorexia nervosa.

Abstract P46: Misperception of Body Size and Barriers to Weight Loss among Families

Background: Misperception of body size and barriers to weight loss are prevalent in families at risk for cardiovascular disease. Methods: Women (n=111) and their pre-adolescent children (n=111) at an academic medical clinic were surveyed regarding socio-demographics, anthropometrics, weight loss attitudes, and body size perception. Results: The majority of women self-identified as Hispanic (79.3%), age 40±7 yrs. Children's age ranged from 7-13 yrs (10.5±1.3 yrs) with 51.4% girls. Among mothers, 65.8% were overweight (OW) or obese (OB), avg BMI 27.7 ± 5.1. Children's avg BMI percentile was 72.3%; 38.9% were OW or OB. OB women (81.8%) underestimated weight more than OW (42.5%) and normal weight (NW) women (13.2%) (p < .0001). Analogous to mothers, 85.7% of OW or OB children underestimated weight vs 15.2% of NW children (p < 0.0001). OB (97.0%) and OW (77.5%) women had more body dissatisfaction, the difference between self-perceived and ideal size, than NW women (42.1%) (p < 0.0001); similarly, 77.8% of OB and 50.0% of OW children were dissatisfied vs 26.7% of NW children (p < 0.0001). Overall, 55.7% of all women were attempting weight loss by improving eating habits (67.2%), exercising (40.3%), dieting (13.5%), medications (12.6%), and surgery (4.5%). Weight loss barriers included family responsibilities (27.0%), time (25.2%), money (11.7%), and employment (11.7%). OW and OB women were more likely to cite family responsibilities (34.3% vs 13.2%, p=0.018) and employment (16.4% vs 2.6%, p=0.03) then NW women. Almost half (46.3%) used nutrition labels “always” or “most of the time,” however 37.0% did not know daily caloric consumption. Women with ≤ 8 years education (73.3%) were less likely to know their caloric consumption compared to those with 9-12 years (42.9%) and > 12 years (16.7%) (p=0.003). Conclusion: Misperception of body size is common among OW/OB women and children in this urban population. However, these women and children are also highly dissatisfied with their current body size, indicating some awareness and prompting more then half to attempt weight loss. Strategies to overcome the obesity epidemic should emphasize healthy body size goals and address barriers including family responsibilities, time, and lack of proper nutritional knowledge.

P2-95 Obesity increases 28% in 3 years in premenopausal low-income Chilean women independently of body size misperception

IntroductionHow body image perception (BIP) influences changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) in adult women has not been evaluated.ObjectiveTo assess BMI-changes over a 3-year period and their relationship with BIP...

Body Size Misperception: A Novel Determinant in the Obesity Epidemic

The prevalence of obesity in the United States continues to rise and contributes to the incidence of cardiovascular disease.1 One obstacle to effecting weight loss and a potential target for intervention is misperception of body size. Among obese individuals (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared]), body size misperception is defined as failure to recognize the need to lose weight.

Body size perception and body satisfaction in restrained and unrestrained eaters

In 21 restrained and 20 unrestrained eaters body size perception was measured using the video distortion technique (VDT), the image marking procedure (IMP) and the kinesthetic size estimating apparatus (KSEA). Body satisfaction was assessed by questionnaires (Body Shape Questionnaire, Dieting scale of the Eating Attitudes Test). Restrained eaters showed no systematic over- or underestimation of the body size but less perceptual accuracy (in VDT and KSEA). Furthermore, they were clearly more dissatisfied with their bodies than unrestrained eaters. Both findings were unrelated to each other. In both groups depressive mood or thoughts seemed to be associated with body dissatisfaction but not with body size misperception. Objective body measures (body mass index, body fat content) were not related to either body size perception or body satisfaction. The findings suggest that a perceptual uncertainty in regard to body size (either for visual or for somatosensory aspects) has already developed in restrained eaters, which may constitute a predisposition for more overt forms of body size misperception as found in eating disorder patients.