Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo, 315100, Zhejiang Province, China.
Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, 199 Taikang East Road, Ningbo, 315100, Zhejiang Province, China.
BMC Public Health. 2024 Sep 18;24(1):2535. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20005-x.
Weight misperceptions are common in children and adolescents, which is related to the engagement of weight loss behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body weight perception and weight loss behaviors of lower-calorie diets and increased levels of physical activity (PA).
The Ningbo Youth Risk Behavior Survey was conducted from 2007 to 2022. A multistage, stratified cluster sampling procedure was utilized to draw target adolescents aged 12 to 18 years participating in each survey wave (2007, 2012, 2017, 2022). Data of anthropometry, weight perception, and weight loss behaviors were collected through self-administered questionnaires. A binary generalized linear model was used to examine associations between body weight perception and weight loss behaviors of lower calorie diets and increased levels of PA.
The sample sizes for each survey wave were 777, 885, 1588 and 2638. The prevalence of overweight (OW)/obesity (OB), self-perception of OW/OB and overestimated perception increased from 7.6%, 27.0% and 29.1% in 2007 to 16.3%, 39.9% and 41.4% in 2022, respectively. Adolescents that perceived themselves as OW/OB had higher odds of lower-calorie diets (OR: 4.2, 3.3-5.4) and increased level of PA (OR: 3.8, 2.9-5.0), whereas adolescents that perceived themselves as underweight had lower odds of lower-calorie diets (OR: 0.371, 0.253-0.542) and increased levels of PA (OR: 0.381, 0.295-0.559).
OW, self-perception of OW/OB and overestimated perception were prevalent in Chinese adolescents. Self-perception of OW/OB was positively associated with lower-calorie diets and increased levels of PA. The results can support public health specialists to promote health education of body perception and improve self-esteem in Chinese children and adolescents.
体重认知偏差在儿童和青少年中很常见，这与减肥行为的参与有关。本研究旨在探讨体像感知与低热量饮食和增加体力活动（PA）水平与减肥行为之间的关系。
采用多阶段、分层整群抽样方法，抽取参加每轮调查（2007 年、2012 年、2017 年、2022 年）的 12-18 岁目标青少年。通过自填式问卷收集人体测量学、体重感知和减肥行为数据。采用二项广义线性模型来检验体像感知与低热量饮食和增加体力活动水平与减肥行为之间的关系。
各轮调查的样本量分别为 777、885、1588 和 2638。2007 年超重（OW）/肥胖（OB）、自我感知 OW/OB 和高估感知的患病率分别为 7.6%、27.0%和 29.1%，到 2022 年分别增至 16.3%、39.9%和 41.4%。自我感知为 OW/OB 的青少年更有可能采用低热量饮食（OR：4.2，3.3-5.4）和增加体力活动（OR：3.8，2.9-5.0），而自我感知为体重不足的青少年更不可能采用低热量饮食（OR：0.371，0.253-0.542）和增加体力活动（OR：0.381，0.295-0.559）。
OW、自我感知 OW/OB 和高估感知在中国青少年中较为普遍。自我感知 OW/OB 与低热量饮食和增加体力活动水平呈正相关。研究结果可为中国儿童和青少年的体像感知和提高自尊心的健康教育提供支持。
