Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 4, St. Olavs plass, 0130, OSLO, Norway.
Nutr J. 2018 Feb 9;17(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s12937-018-0330-5.
Culture affects body image and body size perceptions from an early age and in many African countries, overweight has been associated with richness, health, strength, and fertility. The present study investigated body size perceptions and preferences in an African refugee population.
The cross-sectional study was comprised of 180 and 175 randomly selected Saharawi women and men, respectively, between 18 and 80 years. Stunkard's body figure scale was used to identify self-perceived body size, desired body size and desired body size in the opposite gender.
Approximately half of the participants had a correct self-perceived body size; among them 70% did not have a desire to have a smaller body size. Among women who preferred a body size corresponding to overweight in men, 77% also had a desired body size corresponding to overweight; compared to 43% for men. The youngest participants (18-25 years) were the least likely to overestimate their body size in comparison to the older participants (26-45 years and 46-80 years).
We found an overall preference for an overweight body size, and a significant difference in body size perception associated with age.
文化会从幼年起影响人们的身体意象和体型感知，在许多非洲国家，超重与富有、健康、强壮和生育能力有关。本研究调查了非洲难民群体的体型感知和偏好。
该横断面研究包括了 180 名和 175 名随机抽取的撒哈拉女性和男性，年龄在 18 至 80 岁之间。使用 Stunkard 体型量表来识别自我感知的体型、期望的体型和异性期望的体型。
大约一半的参与者对自己的体型有正确的感知；其中 70%的人不想拥有更小的体型。在希望体型与男性超重相对应的女性中，77%的人也希望体型与超重相对应；而男性这一比例为 43%。与年龄较大的参与者（26-45 岁和 46-80 岁）相比，最年轻的参与者（18-25 岁）不太可能高估自己的体型。
我们发现总体上偏好超重体型，并且体型感知与年龄存在显著差异。
