Beyond adolescence: Exploring Canadian Women and Men’s Perception of Overweight

Gucciardi, Enza; Wang, Shirley C.; Badiani, Tina; Stewart, Donna E.

doi:10.1016/j.whi.2007.05.007

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Volume 17, Issue 6 , Pages 374-382, November 2007

Beyond adolescence:

Exploring Canadian Women and Men’s Perception of Overweight

Enza Gucciardi, MHSc, PhD
- Ryerson University, School of Nutrition, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University Health Network Women’s Health Program, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Enza Gucciardi, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at Ryerson University and a Scientific Associate with the University Health Network, Women’s Health Program. She is a researcher in women’s health, and the delivery of and access to chronic disease self-management education.
- Correspondence to: Enza Gucciardi, MHSc, PhD, School of Nutrition, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 2K3.
Shirley C. Wang, BSc
- University Health Network Women’s Health Program, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts and Science, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Shirley Chi-Tyan Wong, BSc, is a first-year student at Ross University School of Medicine.
Tina Badiani, MHSc
- University of Toronto, Department of Public Health Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Tina Badiani, MHSc, is an epidemiologist working with the Infectious Diseases Surveillance Section at the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
Donna E. Stewart, MD, FRCP
- University Health Network Women’s Health Program, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- University of Toronto, Faculty of Psychiatry, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Donna E. Stewart, MD, FRCPC, is a University Professor and Chair of Women’s Health at University Health Network and University of Toronto where she is appointed to Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medicine, Surgery, Anesthesis and Family and Community Medicine. She is a researcher in women’s health, mental health and international health.

Received 7 February 2007; accepted 29 May 2007. published online 22 October 2007.

Purpose

The research literature strongly corroborates that desires and attempts to lose weight are more prevalent among women who are already within the healthy weight range than men. The development of a distorted weight perception, specifically an overestimation of one’s body size, may manifest into caloric restriction and other disordered eating behaviors. However, there is no systematic process to monitor the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors in Canada. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and the sociodemographic characteristics of Canadian adults who have a perception of being overweight when their body mass index indicates that they are normal or underweight based on self-reported heights and weights.

Methods

The responses to the 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey by a representative sample of Canadians between the ages of 20 and 64 were analyzed. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results

The prevalence of perceiving oneself as overweight when at acceptable weight for height was 23.6% for women and 7.8% for men. The probability was significantly greater in women, some foreign-born residents, those with a higher income level, and with increasing age.

Conclusions

These results suggest that, in contrast to mainstream thinking, distorted weight perception is experienced by adult and aging women, and not only by adolescent girls. More research is needed to understand why distorted weight perception increases with age in women and what potential adverse effects it may have in this population.