Perceived Weight Status, Disease Risk and Weight Loss Among Young Adults

Accurate perception of overweight status can influence weight management practices and may contribute to perceived risk of weight-related diseases. Understanding how weight perception impacts weight management and perceived risks in young adults is important, as it is during this time that individuals are forming lifestyle behaviors and likely not burdened by chronic disease.

Cross-sectional data from 86 young adults (18-25 years) were analyzed. Height, weight and information about perceived weight status, weight management behaviors and perceptions of weight-related disease seriousness and risk were collected. Chi-square analyses and logistic regression were used to determine relationships among variables.

Accurate weight perception differed by gender and body mass index (BMI) category. No obese individuals accurately perceived their weight status. Factors influencing accurate weight perception included perceived weight status, perceived risk of high cholesterol or diabetes, and perceiving high blood pressure as serious. Weight loss desires and behaviors differed by gender and BMI category. Perceived disease seriousness differed among some BMI categories. Generally, those who perceived a disease to be serious or perceived risk for a given disease were more likely to perceive another disease as serious or perceive risk for another disease. Among the overweight/obese, perceived risk of disease given current weight ranged from 3.4 percent for high blood pressure or heart disease to 17.2 percent for high cholesterol.

There is perceived weight-related disease risk among the overweight/obese despite inaccurate weight perception. Research is needed to elucidate factors that impact risk perception and develop interventions that impact behavior and promote disease prevention.