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Updated: May 27, 2026
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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Weight status misperception among Mexican young adults
Flavia Cristina Drumond Andrade1, Marcela Raffaelli, Margarita Teran-Garcia
1University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, Champaign, IL, USA. fandrade@illinois.edu
Body Image
|November 23, 2011
Summary
Many young adults misperceive their body size, increasing risks for eating disorders and obesity. This study found 63.1% accurately reported their weight status, with factors like gender and age influencing perception accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Psychology
- Nutrition Science
Background:
- Body size misperception is linked to eating disorders, unhealthy weight control, and obesity-related diseases.
- Accurate body weight status perception is crucial for health-related behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of agreement between perceived and actual body mass index (BMI) categories.
- To identify demographic, behavioral, and psychosocial factors associated with body weight status misperception in Mexican young adults.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 3622 Mexican college applicants (aged 18-20 years).
- Assessed perceived body size via self-report and actual body size via measured BMI categories.
- Used multivariate analyses to examine correlates of perception accuracy.
Main Results:
- 63.1% of participants accurately reported their weight status categories.
- Overestimating BMI was associated with female gender, younger age, lower parental education, and higher TV viewing.
- Underestimating BMI was associated with male gender and older age; depressive symptoms were linked to underestimation in women.
Conclusions:
- Body weight status misperception is prevalent among young adults in Mexico.
- Factors such as gender, age, media exposure, and mental health influence perception accuracy.
- Findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve body weight perception in adolescents and young adults.
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