title: Multimodal Body Representation of Obese Children and Adolescents before and after Weight-Loss Treatment in Comparison to Normal-Weight Children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to investigate whether obese children and adolescents have a disturbed body representation as compared to normal-weight participants matched for age and gender and whether their body representation changes in the course of an inpatient weight-reduction program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty obese (OBE) and 27 normal-weight (NW) children and adolescents (age: 9-17) were assessed for body representation using a multi-method approach. Therefore, we assessed body size estimation, tactile size estimation, heartbeat detection accuracy, and attitudes towards one's own body. OBE were examined upon admission and before discharge of an inpatient weight-reduction program. NW served as cross-sectional control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Body size estimation and heartbeat detection accuracy were similar in OBE and NW. OBE overestimated sizes in tactile size estimation and were more dissatisfied with their body as compared to NW. In OBE but not in NW, several measures of body size estimation correlated with negative body evaluation. After weight-loss treatment, OBE had improved in heartbeat detection accuracy and were less dissatisfied with their body. None of the assessed variables predicted weight-loss success.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although OBE children and adolescents generally perceived their body size and internal status of the body accurately, weight reduction improved their heartbeat detection accuracy and body dissatisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.|Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany.|Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Simone Claire
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0430-5245
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mölbert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: Fachkliniken Wangen i.A., Children Rehabilitation Hospital for Respiratory Diseases, Allergies and Psychosomatics, Wangen i.A., Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dammann
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zipfel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teufel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Junne
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Enck
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin Elisabeth
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Giel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Hospital, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mack
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D049628:Body Size; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015431:Weight Loss