title: Perceived weight in youths and risk of overweight or obesity six years later.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between perceived overweight in adolescents and the development of overweight or obesity later in life.
  
  
  METHODS
  This paper uses data from a prospective, two-wave cohort study. Participants are 2445 adolescents 11-17years of age who reported perceived weight at baseline and also had height and weight measured at baseline and at follow-up six years later sampled from managed care groups in a large metropolitan area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Youths who perceived themselves as overweight at baseline were approximately 2.5 times as likely to be overweight or obese six years later compared to youths who perceived themselves as average weight (OR=2.45, 95% CI=1.77-3.39), after adjusting for weight status at baseline, demographic characteristics, major depression, physical activity and dieting behaviors. Those who perceived themselves as skinny were less likely to be overweight or obese later (OR=0.36, 95% CI=0.27-0.49).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceived overweight was associated with overweight or obesity later in life. This relationship was not fully explained by extreme weight control behaviors or major depression. Further research is needed to explore the mechanism involved.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, United States. Electronic address: duonght@vn.cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Hao T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Duong
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, United States.
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012938:Social Perception
keywords: Adolescence; Children; Obesity; Perceived weight