Manafe Mashudu, Chelule Paul K, Madiba Sphiwe
Department of Human Nutrition & Dietetics, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Department of Public Health, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Oct 27;18(21):11265. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111265.
Obesity has become a serious public health problem worldwide and is linked to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Poor self-perception of body weight is postulated to play a negative role in curbing increased rates of obesity. This study investigated the views of own body weight and perceived risk of developing NCDs in South African adults. This was a community-based quantitative study. Descriptive statistics were used, and logistic regression analysis was conducted on the data. A total of 1050 respondents took part in the study. Of the 161 respondents who perceived themselves to be normal weight, 98.8% ( = 159) misperceived their body weight. The majority of respondents (>90%) who were overweight according to the calculated BMI perceived no risk of developing obesity-related diseases. Most of the respondents, 46% ( = 253), believed that body weight was influenced by heredity. The method used for weight loss by 57% ( = 173) of the respondents was exercising at home. There was a statistically significant association between Body Mass Index (BMI), employment status, risk of developing diabetes, and body weight misperception ( < 0.05). Misperception of body weight was common among the study respondents and may influence weight control intervention strategies. Health promotion targeting personal behaviour, such as body weight self-perception, is crucial in supporting targeted strategies to address obesity in South Africa.
肥胖已成为全球严重的公共卫生问题，并与非传染性疾病（NCDs）风险增加相关。体重自我认知不佳被认为在抑制肥胖率上升方面起负面作用。本研究调查了南非成年人对自身体重的看法以及患非传染性疾病的感知风险。这是一项基于社区的定量研究。使用了描述性统计方法，并对数据进行了逻辑回归分析。共有1050名受访者参与了该研究。在161名自认为体重正常的受访者中，98.8%（=159）误判了自己的体重。根据计算出的BMI，大多数超重受访者（>90%）认为没有患肥胖相关疾病的风险。大多数受访者，46%（=253），认为体重受遗传影响。57%（=173）的受访者采用的减肥方法是在家锻炼。体重指数（BMI）、就业状况、患糖尿病风险和体重误判之间存在统计学上的显著关联（<0.05）。体重误判在研究受访者中很常见，可能会影响体重控制干预策略。针对个人行为（如体重自我认知）的健康促进对于支持南非应对肥胖的针对性策略至关重要。
