This cross-sectional study investigated location of body fat, with specific focus on abdominal fat, among normal weight and overweight women who accurately or inaccurately perceived their weight status. Young, adult women (N = 120; M age = 19.5 yr., SD = 1.2) were asked to classify their weight status using the Self-Classified Weight subscale from the Multidimensional Body–Self Relations Questionnaire. Actual weight status was operationalized via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Overweight women who thought they were normal weight had an average of 19 pounds more fat than normal weight women with 1.5 pounds of excess abdominal fat. Interventions to raise awareness among overweight women unaware of their fat level are warranted. However, these interventions should balance consideration of potential detriments to body image among these women.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BhanjiS.KhuwajaA. K.SiddiquiF.AzamI., & KazmiK. (2011) Underestimation of weight and its associated factors among overweight and obese adults in Pakistan: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 11, 363. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-363
2.
BrittonK. A.MassaroJ. M.MurabitoJ. M.KregerB. E.HoffmannU., & FoxC. S. (2013) Body fat distribution, incident cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality. Journal of American College of Cardiology, 62(10), 921–925. DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.06.027
3.
BurkeM. A.HeilandF. W., & NadlerC. M. (2010) From “overweight” to “about right”: evidence of a generational shift in body weight norms. Obesity, 8(6), 1226–1234. DOI: 10.1038/oby.2009.369
DuncanD. T.WolinK. Y.Scharoun-LeeM.DingE. L.WarnerE. T., & BennettG. G. (2011) Does perception equal reality? Weight misperception in relation to weight-related attitudes and behaviors among overweight and obese U.S. adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 8, 20. DOI: 10.1186/1479-5868-8-20
6.
GallagherD.HeymsfieldS.HeoM.JebbS. A.MurgatroydP. R., & SakamotoY. (2000) Healthy percentage body fat ranges: an approach for developing guidelines based on body mass index. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 72(3), 694–701.
7.
GaskinJ. L.PulverA. J.BranchK.KaboreA.JamesT., & ZhangJ. (2013) Perception or reality of body weight: which matters to the depressive symptoms. Journal of Affective Disorders, 150(2), 350–355. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2013.04.017
8.
GrundyS. M. (2015) Adipose tissue and metabolic syndrome: too much, too little or neither. European Journal of Clinical Investigation. DOI: 10.1111/eci.12519
9.
HarringH. A.MontgomeryK., & HardinJ. (2010) Perceptions of body weight, weight management strategies, and depressive symptoms among U.S. college students. Journal of American College Health, 59(1), 43–50. DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2010.483705
10.
HermanK. M.HopmanW. M., & RosenbergM. W. (2013) Self-rated health and life satisfaction among Canadian adults: associations of perceived weight status versus BMI. Quality of Life Research, 22, 2693–2705. DOI: 10.1007/s11136-013-0408-7
11.
HeymsfieldS. B.LohmanT. G.WangZ., & GoingS. B. (2005) Human body composition. (2nd ed.) Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
12.
LohmanT. G. (1997) Anthropometric standardization reference manual. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
KagawaM.KuroiwaC.UenishiK.MoriM.DhaliwaiS.HillsA. P., & BinnsC. W. (2007) A comparison of body perceptions in relation to measured body composition in young Japanese males and females. Body Image, 4(4), 372–380. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2007.06.002
15.
MarwahaR. K.TandonN.GargM. K.NarangA.MehanN., & BhadraK. (2013) Normative data of body fat mass and its distribution as assessed by DXA in Indian adult population. Journal of Clinical Densitometry, 17(1), 136–142.
16.
OuchiN.ParkerJ. L.LugusL. L., & WalshK. (2011) Adipokines in inflammation and metabolic disease. Nature Reviews Immunology, 11, 85–97.
17.
PowellT. M.de LemosJ. A.BanksK.AyersC. R.RohatgiA.KheraA.McGuireD. K.BerryJ. D.AlbertM. A.VegaG. L.GrundyS. M., & DasS. R. (2010) Body size misperception: a novel determinant in the obesity epidemic. Archives of Internal Medicine, 170(18), 1695–1697.
18.
Romero-CorralA.SomersV. K.Sierra-JohnsonJ.ThomasR. J.Collazo-ClavellM. L.AllisonT. G.KorinekJ.BatsisJ. A., & Lopez-JimenezF. (2008) Accuracy of body mass index in diagnosing obesity in the adult general population. International Journal of Obesity, 32, 959–966. DOI: 10.1001/archinternmed.2010.314
19.
RoyJ. L.HunterG. R., & BlaudeauT. E. (2006) Percent body fat is related to body-shape perception and dissatisfaction in students attending an all women's college. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 103, 677–684.
20.
SeidellJ. C.PerusseL.DespresJ. P., & BouchardC. (2001) Waist and hip circumferences have independent and opposite effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors: the Quebec Family Study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74(3), 315–321.
21.
SnijderM. B.VisserM.DekkerJ. M.GoodpasterB. H.HarrisT. B.KritchevskyS. B.De RekeneireN.KanayaA. M.NewmanA. B.TylavskyF. A., & SeidellJ. C. (2005) Low subcutaneous thigh fat is a risk factor for unfavourable glucose and lipid levels, independently of high abdominal fat: the Health ABC Study. Diabetologia, 48, 301–308. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-004-1637-7
22.
TanakaS.ItohY., & HattoriK. (2002) Relationship of body composition to body-fatness estimation in Japanese university students. Obesity, 10(7), 590–596. DOI: 10.1038/oby.2002.80
23.
ValtolinaG. G. (1998) Body-size estimation by obese subjects. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 86(3, Pt. 2), 1363–1374.
24.
van der PloegG. E.WithersR. T., & LaforgiaJ. (2003) Percent body fat via DEXA: comparison with a four compartment model. Journal of Applied Physiology, 94(2), 499–506.
25.
Van PeltR. E.EvansE. M.SchechtmanK. B.EhsaniA. A., & KohrtW. M. (2002) Contribution of total and regional fat mass to risk for cardiovascular disease in older women. American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, 282, E1023–E1028. DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00467.2001
26.
WellensR.ChumleaW. C.GuoS.RocheA. F.ReoN. V., & SiervogelR. M. (1994) Body composition in white adults by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, densitometry, and total body water. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 59, 547–555.
27.
WhaleyM. H.BrubakerP. H., & OttoR. M. (2006) ACSM's guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. (7th ed.) Baltimore, MD: American College of Sports Medicine.
28.
YaemsiriS.SliningM. M., & AgarwalS. K. (2011) Perceived weight status, overweight diagnosis, and weight control among U.S. adults: the NHANES 2003–2008 study. International Journal of Obesity, 35, 1063–1070. DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2010.229
