Body image can be a double-edged sword; a poor self-image can lead to mental and physical health problems but a new study has found that an extremely good body image can also take its toll on a woman's health. In the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Temple University researchers explain how they studied the body image perceptions of 81 underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese women and found that as their BMI increased, two-thirds of the women still felt they were at an ideal body size.
"So the question for doctors then becomes, 'How can we effectively treat our overweight and obese patients, when they don't feel they're in harm's way?'" said researcher Marisa Rose. "It stresses a need for culturally sensitive education for this population."
The women in the study were shown an illustration of different-sized women that correlated with increasing BMIs, and were asked which size they felt they were at currently, and what their ideal would be. While most of the participants selected illustrations of women in the normal to overweight range, about 20 percent of the obese women selected an overweight or obese silhouette as their ideal body shape. Further, 68 percent of overweight participants and 84 percent of obese women underestimated their current BMI. Interestingly, African-American and Hispanic women had significantly underestimated their current body size, while the white women overestimated.
The researchers say that their next course of action is to determine from a more diverse population whether the trend of women incorrectly perceiving their body size extends to most underweight, overweight and obese women or whether the trend is specific to the inner-city population. "Informing our patients about the dangers of obesity, even when they feel they're not at risk, can help empower them to change their lifestyles and lead healthier lives," said Rose.
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Source: Temple University
