Obesity is in the eye of the beholder

More Americans are classified as obese than ever before, yet a large proportion of obese people do not think they are fat, according to a study conducted at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Tiffany M. Powell and colleagues found that among 2,000 obese Dallas county residents, only a small percentage believed they needed to lose weight. Additionally, these “misperceivers” often thought they were healthy and not at risk.
•Of the obese people surveyed, only 14% of African Americans, 11% of Hispanics and 2% of whites believed they needed to lose weight
•8% overall did not consider themselves obese
•Those with misperceived body size were happier with their health and felt healthier; they also thought they were at low risk of developing diseases linked to obesity
•66% of people with misperceived body size thought they had a low risk of becoming obese
•Half of those with misperceived body size believed they were healthier than most people their age, compared to only one-third of those with accurate weight perception
•44% of misperceived and 25% of accurately perceived had not seen a doctor in the past year
•Education and income were not factors in weight perception

The study shows the large lack of understanding regarding obesity and its effects. There is also the possibility that self-perceptions are changing with the increase in the obese population in America.

Source: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; October, 2010