A comparative study on perception of body weight of women from different socioeconomic levels

Effects of the Omaha System- and HeartScore®-Based Impaired-Risk Perception Reduction Program on the Risk Perception of Individuals Aged 50-65 Years: A One-Group Pre-Test-Post-Test Study

PURPOSE

This study evaluates the impact of interventions in the Omaha System and HeartScore®-based program to reduce impaired-risk perception.

DESIGN

and setting: This study utilized a one-group pre-test-post-test design.

SUBJECTS

The program was conducted among participants aged over 50 years from different social settings.

INTERVENTION

The program had three parts: a briefing on HeartScore® recommendations, Omaha System interventions, and referral to a doctor.

MEASURES

HeartScore® determined cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, body mass index (BMI) was calculated from height and weight, and the International PA Questionnaire evaluated physical activity (PA) levels. Self-assessment was used to perceived CVD risk, BMI, and PA.

ANALYSIS

We used the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare the pre-test and post-test scores of the Omaha System, the problem rating scale (PRS) subscales and McNemar test to measure changes in CVD risk perception, BMI, and PA level.

RESULTS

310 high-risk individuals out of 522 had impaired perception of their CVD risk. Only 201 responded to follow-up phone calls. Interventions based on HeartScore® and Omaha System improved CVD risk and PA perceptions (P < .001) but not BMI. The program significantly increased knowledge, status, and behavior scores (P < .001). After participating, 39% saw a cardiologist, and 57.2% saw a family physician within six months to reduce impaired risk perception. CVD risk perception increased to the actual level after the intervention, mostly in the group with low education level.

CONCLUSIONS

The program using the Omaha System and HeartScore® can help middle-aged individuals better understand their risk of cardiovascular disease.

Community-Dwelling Adults' Perceived Versus Actual Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Body Mass Index, and Physical Activity Levels and Related Factors

CONTEXT

The difference between actual and perceived risk levels shows distorted risk perception. Unrealistic perceptions of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks and insufficient knowledge about CVD risk factors can not only hinder the adoption of a positive lifestyle change but also obstruct preventive efforts.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concordance between perceived and actual risks, body mass index (BMI), and physical activity levels.

DESIGN

This descriptive study included 522 community-dwelling adults in 2 different regions of Antalya/Turkey. The actual CVD risk level of the participants was determined using the "HeartScore program," actual body weight was determined according to BMI, and actual activity levels were found using the "International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF)." The perceived risks were measured with the CVD Risk and Risk Factors Perception Determination Questionnaire. CVD Risk Factors Knowledge Level (CARRF-KL) Scale was used to calculate the participants' level of knowledge about the risk factors.

RESULTS

There was no concordance between the participants' actual and perceived CVD risks. A below-average agreement was found between the participants' actual and perceived BMI levels. In terms of actual measurements, it was seen that slightly obese individuals have a realistic perception. There was a weak agreement between the actual and perceived physical activity levels of the adults. Knowledge about the CVD risk factors of adults does not affect the perception of CVD risk and BMI and physical activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Adults have an optimistic risk perception regarding CVD risk, BMI, and physical activity levels. It may be beneficial to periodically assess actual risks to change skewed perceptions of CVD and risk factors. These findings will inform the development of tailored intervention strategies and policies for these adults.

Cognitive insight is associated with perceived body weight in overweight and obese adults

Background

Accurate perception of body weight is necessary for individuals with a high body mass index (BMI) to initiate strategies to improve their health status. Furthermore, identifying factors that influence accurate body weight perception can assist in designing appropriate educational and weight management programs. We therefore aimed to investigate whether levels of cognitive functioning and insight influence the ability to correctly judge body weight.

Methods

One hundred and eighty four overweight and obese adults who participated in a cross- sectional case-control study and were controls in the aforementioned study were included. The study was conducted in Cape Town, South Africa. Demographic, weight-related, neuropsychiatric, neurocognitive and cognitive insight measures were administered. Regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors associated with correct weight perception.

Results

The final regression model explained 52.3% of variation in accurate perception of body weight and was significant (p ≤ 0. 001). The model correctly classified 79.3% of individuals who were able to correctly and incorrectly judge their weight. Adults with higher BMI, and lower self-certainty, those who reported that they had gained weight in the previous year and those who were told by a healthcare professional to lose or maintain a healthy weight were more likely to correctly judge their weight.

Conclusion

Some aspects of cognitive insight (self-certainty) but not cognitive functioning were associated with perception of body weight in this sample. Awareness of recent weight changes, higher BMI and advice from of health care professionals were also significantly associated with perception of body weight, while demographic variables were not. Understanding the factors that contribute to the correct perception of weight is important in identifying appropriate health interventions that may address the burden of associated non-communicable diseases in overweight and obese individuals.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10559-5.

Misclassification of Self-Reported Body Mass Index Categories

BACKGROUND

Overweight and obesity are an increasingly serious public health problem in Western societies, including Germany. The tendency of overweight and obese people not to classify themselves as such limits the efficacy of information on the health risks of these conditions and lessens the motivation to change behavior accordingly. In this article, we summarize the available study data on the selfperception of weight class. We present and discuss the differences between selfreported body-mass index (BMI) category and the actual category of the BMI when it is calculated from the individual's measured height and weight.

METHODS

We systematically searched the Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases in August 2017 for pertinent publications. The study protocol was published in the PROSPERO register (CRD42017064230). Meta-analyses were calculable for a number of subgroup analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 50 studies from 25 countries were identified that contained findings on self-estimation of weight in a total of 173 971 study participants. The percentage of correct self-categorizations of BMI category varied from 16% to 83%, with marked heterogeneity of the population groups studied. In Europe, women overestimated their BMI category three times as often as men (RR: 3.22; 95% confidence interval: [2.87; 3.62], I2 = 0%). Most erroneous classifications were based on underestimates. Study participants of normal weight were more likely than others to categorize their BMI correctly. In European studies, 50.3-75.8% categorized their BMI correctly. Low socioeconomic status was associated with an incorrect perception of BMI.

CONCLUSION

The self-assignment of BMI categories is often erroneous, with underestimates being more common than overestimates. Physicians should take particular care to provide appropriate information to persons belonging to groups in which underestimating one's BMI is common, such as overweight people and men in general.

Perceptions of weight in relation to health, hunger, and belonging among women in periurban South Africa

Obesity among South African women represents an important dimension of noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk. Experiences of weight are an under-explored frame of reference for intervention. Using three-part in-depth interviews with 20 women and 9 focus groups with a total of 57 women (N = 77) in one low-income neighborhood, I relate women's positive perceptions of fatness to belonging and experiences of hunger. Aware of public health obesity messaging, participants tried to lose weight, yet stress and food scarcity impacted weight gain. Whereas public health interventions focus on behavior, responses to NCDs must recognize the role of food systems and poverty in shaping risk profiles.