title: Accuracy of Weight Perception Among American Indian Tribal College Students.
abstract: National data indicate a higher prevalence of obesity among American Indian (AI) populations and greater disparity of morbidity and mortality among younger age groups compared with other ethnicities. Diet and physical activity are important obesity preventive behaviors, but no published data exist that describe these behaviors in relation to obesity in AI young adults at tribal colleges. Study purposes were to: (1) identify fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity practices of AI young adults from three U.S. tribal colleges according to BMI categories; (2) identify the accuracy of body weight perceptions; and (3) identify predictor variables for weight misperception.
  
  
  
  In this observational study during 2011-2014, a total of 1,256 participants were recruited from three participating U.S. tribal colleges to complete an online survey addressing issues related to diet, physical activity, and weight perception. Reported height and weight were used to calculate BMI categories, and differences between BMI categories were examined. Gender differences related to accuracy of weight perception by BMI categories were also examined. Analyses were conducted in 2016.
  
  
  
  Based on self-reported height and weight, 68% of the sample was overweight or obese (BMI ≥25) and mean BMI was 28.9 (SD=6.9). Most did not meet recommendations for fruit intake (78.7%), vegetable intake (96.6%), or physical activity (65.6%). More than half (53.7%%) who were overweight/obese underestimated their weight category. Men more often underestimated their weight category (54.2%) than women (35.1%).
  
  
  
  Interventions are needed to improve weight-related lifestyle behaviors of AI tribal college students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
authors.forename: Heather D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
authors.forename: Hung-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Daley
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas.
authors.forename: K Allen
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas. Electronic address: wchoi@kumc.edu.
authors.forename: Won S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014675:Vegetables; D014892:Weight Perception; D055815:Young Adult