title: Self-perception of weight and its association with weight-related behaviors in young, reproductive-aged women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine weight misperceptions and their predictors and association with weight-related behaviors among low-income, multiethnic, reproductive-age women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed perceptions of body weight and weight-related behaviors of women aged 18 to 25 attending one of five publicly funded reproductive clinics in Texas between August 2008 and March 2010. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires and chart review. Overweight and normal-weight women were divided into four categories based on self-perception of their body weight: overweight misperceivers, overweight actual perceivers, normal-weight misperceivers, and normal-weight actual perceivers. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the predictors of misperception and the association with weight-related behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three percent (267/1,162) of overweight and 16% (170/1,062) of normal-weight women were misperceivers. Overweight African-American women were more likely to consider themselves normal weight (28% compared with 15%; odds ratio [OR], 2.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.79-4.50), whereas normal-weight African-American women were less likely than whites to consider themselves overweight (7% compared with 16%; OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.22-0.74). Overweight women who had at least some college education (14% compared with 29%; OR 0.53; 95% CI 0.32-0.86) and used the Internet (18% compared with 28%; OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.31-0.70) were less likely to misperceive their body weight. Normal-weight misperceivers were more likely to report healthy and unhealthy weight-reduction behaviors compared with normal-weight actual perceivers, after adjusting for age, race, ethnicity, and body mass index. Opposite scenarios were observed for overweight misperceivers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight misperception is common among both overweight and normal-weight women of reproductive age. Clinicians should provide patient-specific counseling related to healthy weight management goals that take each patient's perceptions into consideration.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health, Galveston, Texas.
authors.forename: Mahbubur
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: Abbey B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Berenson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001835:Body Weight; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D015431:Weight Loss; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents