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Updated: Jul 8, 2026
07:40
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Weight status and body image perception in Italian children
E Gualdi-Russo1, A Albertini, L Argnani
1Department of Biology and Evolution, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy. gldmnl@unife.it
Summary
Overweight Italian children often misperceive their body size, with girls showing more dissatisfaction. This highlights the need to address body image perception in childhood obesity prevention programs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Body Image Research
- Childhood Obesity Studies
Background:
- Overweight individuals frequently underestimate their body weight.
- Investigating body image perception in children is crucial for understanding weight status.
- Italian children's perception of body image, especially those who are overweight, requires examination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate body image perception in Italian primary school children.
- To specifically examine body image perception in overweight and obese children.
- To identify discrepancies between perceived and actual body weight status.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional nutritional survey of 866 primary school children in northern Italy.
- Anthropometric measurements to calculate body mass index (BMI).
- Body Silhouette Chart used for assessing body image perception in children and their mothers, with a novel scheme for identifying inaccurate self-perceptions in overweight subjects.
Main Results:
- High prevalence of overweight children: 35.8% of girls and 37.2% of boys exceeded normal BMI ranges.
- Body image dissatisfaction was higher in girls than boys and increased with overweight/obesity.
- A significant minority (6-9%) of overweight/obese children showed a discrepancy between their perceived and actual nutritional status.
Conclusions:
- Comparing body image perception with anthropometric data is vital for nutritional surveillance programs.
- This comparison offers insights into body dissatisfaction and potential body image disturbances in children.
- Integrating body image assessment can enhance interventions for childhood overweight and obesity.
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