Perceived weight versus Body Mass Index among urban Aboriginal Australians: do perceptions and measurements match?
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between perceived body weight and measured Body Mass Index (BMI) among urban Aboriginal Australian adults.


METHODS
We compared responses to a question on perceived weight with BMI based on measured health and weight among 248 Aboriginal volunteers aged>or=15 years who took part in a larger health study in the Darwin area between September 2003 and March 2004. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between socio-economic, demographic and cultural factors and under-assessment of weight.


RESULTS
Being male and having diabetes were significantly associated with under-assessment of weight. Despite under-assessment being common, most participants with a BMI>or=25--and almost all (>90%) those with BMI>or=25 plus high waist circumference--described themselves as overweight.


CONCLUSIONS
Study participants with BMI>or=25 were generally able to classify themselves appropriately as overweight.


CONCLUSIONS
Lack of awareness of weight is unlikely to represent a major barrier to engaging Aboriginal people. However, other barriers exist, and both individual-level and environmental/structural approaches are required to reduce the burden of obesity among Aboriginal Australians.
Cunningham
Joan
J
Menzies School of Health Research and Institute of Advanced Studies, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia. joan.cunningham@menzies.edu.au
O'Dea
Kerin
K
Dunbar
Terry
T
Maple-Brown
Louise
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D001364:Awareness; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012306:Risk; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population