title: Biopsychosocial correlates of weight status perception in Australian adolescents.
abstract: This study examined the utility of the biopsychosocial model to predict accuracy of weight status perception among Australian adolescents. The factors included in this framework were: age, gender, and BMI-z (biological factors); satisfaction with body weight and shape (psychological factors); socioeconomic status, peer weight (social factors). Cross-sectional data, including measured height and weight, and self-reported weight status, was obtained from 2954 adolescents (mean age=14.6, 56% male) who participated in the It's Your Move! study. Accuracy of weight status perception was associated with gender, BMI-z, SES, and weight and shape satisfaction. Gender differences in weight status perception were moderated by satisfaction with weight. In boys, weight satisfaction was associated with perceived healthy weight; in girls, it was associated with perceived healthy weight and underweight. Moderately overweight adolescents are most at risk of underestimating their weight status and could benefit from education about the boundaries of the healthy weight range.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia. Electronic address: jfredric@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fredrickson
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kremer
authors.forename: Boyd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Swinburn
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Silva-Sanigorski
authors.forename: Marita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McCabe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D017677:Age Distribution; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D010379:Peer Group; D012649:Self Concept; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014739:Victoria
keywords: Adolescent; Biopsychosocial model; Perception; Weight status