Body Weight Misperception and Its Association with Unhealthy Eating Behaviors among Adolescents in China

Hanyi Yan, Yingru Wu, Theresa Oniffrey, Jason Brinkley, Rui Zhang, Xinge Zhang, Yueqiao Wang, Guoxun Chen, Rui Li and Justin B. Moore
Additional contact information
Hanyi Yan: School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
Yingru Wu: School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
Theresa Oniffrey: Cerus Consulting, LLC, Winston-Salem, NC 27101, USA
Jason Brinkley: Abt Associates, Durham, NC 27703, USA
Rui Zhang: College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, China
Xinge Zhang: School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
Yueqiao Wang: School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
Guoxun Chen: Department of Nutrition, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Rui Li: School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
Justin B. Moore: Department of Family & Community Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-11

Abstract: This study aims to examine associations between body weight misperception and eating behaviors among Chinese adolescents. Students ( N = 2641) from a middle school and a high school in Wuhan, China participated in a cross-sectional study in May 2016. A questionnaire based on the World Health Organization’s Global School-Based Student Health Survey was employed to assess responses. Self-reported data, including weight, height, body weight perception, and eating habits, were collected. Body Mass Index (BMI) for age z-score was calculated from self-reported height and weight using WHO AnthroPlus. We used descriptive, logistic regression analysis and a Kappa test to analyze the data using SPSS. Overall, 56.6% of participants did not correctly categorize their weight status; these were much more likely to be girls. Compared with the correctly-perceived group, those who underestimated their weight tended to report eating late at night, having dinners with family, and checking nutrition labels. In contrast, weight overestimating students were less likely to report eating late at night, having breakfasts with family, having dinners with family, and discussing nutrition topics over meals. Body weight misperception was associated with unhealthy eating behaviors among Chinese adolescents.

Keywords: body weight misperception; unhealthy eating behaviors; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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