Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2025
04:48
Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System
Published on: May 8, 2018
11.2K
The Relationship between Bodyweight Status and Weight Perception Explains Differences in Calories Ordered in a Food
Jean-Claude Mbarushimana1, Christopher R Gustafson2, Henriette Gitungwa2
1College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA.
Nutrients
|June 2, 2021
Summary
Individuals who perceive their weight inaccurately order fewer calories and are more likely to diet. Understanding perceived weight status is key to addressing global obesity through targeted health messages.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Rising global obesity rates necessitate understanding food choice behaviors.
- Accurate assessment of weight status is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between measured (BMI) and perceived weight status and calorie intake in a controlled food choice setting.
- To investigate how perceived weight status influences food ordering behavior and dieting intentions.
Main Methods:
- 1044 participants completed an online food choice exercise, selecting sandwich ingredients.
- Linear regression analyzed the association between BMI category, perceived weight status, and calories ordered.
- Logistic regression examined the link between weight status and self-reported dieting behavior.
Main Results:
- Participants who perceived their BMI as higher than their measured BMI ordered significantly fewer calories.
- Inaccurate weight perception (overestimation) correlated with a higher likelihood of reporting dieting behavior.
- Perceived weight status significantly explained variations in calorie ordering within a food choice task.
Conclusions:
- Perceived weight status is a significant predictor of food choice behavior, independent of measured BMI.
- Understanding discrepancies between perceived and measured weight can inform the design of more effective public health messages for weight management.
- Interventions addressing obesity should consider the psychological aspect of weight perception alongside objective measures.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Energy Balance
690
The human body gets energy from the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Energy is released when the chemical bonds in the organic compounds present in the food are broken down. The energy content of food is measured in kilocalories (kcal), defined as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. This value is determined by measuring the temperature change of the water surrounding a calorimeter after the complete...
690
01:25Factors Affecting Perception
2.2K
Perception is influenced by perceptual set, context, motivation, and emotion. Perceptual set, or perceptual expectancy, refers to the tendency to perceive things in a particular way, influenced by previous experiences and expectations. This phenomenon affects the interpretation of stimuli, creating a set of mental tendencies and assumptions that impact sensory perceptions of sound, taste, touch, and sight.
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
2.2K
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
43
In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
43
01:09Apparent Weight
9.2K
True weight is the measure of the gravitational force acting on an object. However, if the object accelerates, its measured weight is different from its true weight. Similar observations can be made when the object is submerged in water. An object's weight in water is its apparent weight, which is equal to the difference between its true weight and the buoyant forces.
Consider a person standing on a bathroom scale inside an elevator. If the scale is accurate at rest, its reading equals the...
Consider a person standing on a bathroom scale inside an elevator. If the scale is accurate at rest, its reading equals the...
9.2K
01:19Mass and Weight
14.0K
Mass and weight are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation. For example, medical records often show our weight in kilograms, but never in the correct units of newtons. In physics, however, there is an important distinction. Weight is the pull of the Earth on an object. It depends on the distance from the center of the Earth. Weight dramatically varies if we leave the Earth's surface, unlike mass, which does not vary with location. On the Moon, for example, the...
14.0K
01:24Obesity
849
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
849