The association between body image perception and metabolic syndrome in normal-weight adults

This study analyzed the association between metabolic syndrome and its components according to body image perception in normal-weight adults.

Management of chronic diseases that are the main cause of death in Korea is essential. The representative cause of the increase in these chronic diseases is metabolic syndrome, and preventing it is essential for chronic disease management.

For data analysis, this study used data from Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (KNHANES-VII), 2016-2019. A total of 6479 survey respondents with normal BMI, aged 19 to 64 years old, were finally selected for analysis. Analysis was performed separately for men and women because gender-dependent differences were observed in the self-perceived body image types (underestimation, congruence, and overestimation groups). The incidence and risk of metabolic syndrome-related indicators according to body image perception were analyzed.

As a result, it was found that men tending toward underestimation had lower prevalence and risk of metabolic syndrome and women tending toward overestimation had higher prevalence and risk of metabolic syndrome.

This suggests that even individuals with the same BMI can have effects on the prevalence and risk of metabolic syndrome depending on their body image perception. This allows the conclusion that subjective body image perception can function as a supplementary predictor of metabolic syndrome.