Self-Perception of Body Weight Status and Weight Control Practices Among Adolescents in Malaysia

Abstract

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents is rising rapidly in many countries, including Malaysia. This article aims to present the associations between body mass index-based body weight status, body weight perception, and weight control practices among adolescents in Malaysia. The Malaysia School Based Nutrition Survey 2012, which included a body weight perception questionnaire and anthropometric measurements, was conducted on a representative sample of 40 011 students from Standard 4 until Form 5, with a 90.5% response rate. Comparing actual and perceived body weight status, the findings show that 13.8% of adolescents underestimated their weight, 35.0% overestimated, and 51.2% correctly judged their own weight. Significantly more normal weight girls felt they were overweight, whereas significantly more overweight boys perceived themselves as underweight. The overall appropriateness of weight control practices to body weight was 72.6%. Adolescents attempting to lose or gain weight need to have better understanding toward desirable behavioral changes.

Unhealthy weight control behaviors among Ethiopian female adolescents

“…A significant relationship was also found between actually being overweight and unhealthy weight control practice. Associations between both perception of and actually being overweight with unhealthy weight control practice is commonly reported in studies conducted in both developed (Ferreiro, Seoane, & Senra, ; Keel, Baxter, Heatherton, & Joiner, ) and developing countries (Armstrong et al, ; Zainuddin et al, ). This may further indicate a body weight concern as the main underlying mechanism stimulating the practice of unhealthy weight control methods.…”

Adolescents' self‐perceived and actual weight: Which plays a dominant role in weight loss behaviour in Lebanon?

“…Indeed, extra weight and “plumpness” are noted as a sign of beauty, health, and affluence in certain cultures and ethnicities of the oil‐rich countries in the Arab region (Sibai et al, ; Wiesner & Ittel, ). Differentials may also be the consequence of different approaches in assessing weight perception, with some studies relying on a simple question about weight perception (Edwards et al, ; Hayward, Millar, Petersen, Swinburn, & Lewis, ; Ibrahim, El‐Kamary, Bailey, & St George, ; Zainuddin et al, ) and others showing “figure silhouettes” with a series of male and female body shapes of different sizes to report on adolescent's current body image (Al‐Sendi et al, ; Musaiger, bin Zaal, et al, ).…”

“…Furthermore, the assessment of self‐perceived weight was based on a single question and may be prone to information bias. Yet the same questionnaire item has been used in other regional and international studies (Edwards et al, ; Hayward et al, ; Ibrahim et al, ; Zainuddin et al, ), providing us with the opportunity to compare our findings with those in the literature. Using a different instrument such as figure silhouettes in future studies would enhance the validity of the results.…”

Relationships between Body Weight Perception and Weight Management: Practices among Adolescents

“…Body image is a psychosocial dimension of body size that encompasses both perceptual and attitudinal factors and has been associated with eating disorders. In recent years, its association with overweight and obesity has been described [3][4][5][6][7]. It is recognized that individuals make decisions on lifestyle behaviors based on body weight perceptions (a dimension of body image).…”

“…There is sparse literature on weight perception and weight loss practices of adolescents in Nepal. Appropriate body weight perception and good weight loss practices are estimated to be an important point of focus for the design and implementation of clinical and public health initiatives [6][7][8][9]. There is no literature found on weight perception and weight loss practices in Nepalese population.…”