Adolescents' self-perceived and actual weight: Which plays a dominant role in weight loss behaviour in Lebanon?
BACKGROUND
The decision to lose weight among adolescents is complex and is guided by a number of body-related factors. This study examined the extent of agreement between actual weight, measured as body mass index, and self-perceived weight and assessed their relative importance in weight loss behaviour among Lebanese adolescents.


METHODS
Data on 278 adolescents aged 13-17 years were drawn from the nationwide Nutrition and Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Survey (Lebanon, 2009). Binary multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to test associations with "effort to lose weight" as the outcome variable, controlling for a number of potential confounders.


RESULTS
Close to 36% reported trying to lose weight. Around 21% and 13% were overweight and obese, respectively, and 40% and 10% perceived their weight as slightly high and very high, respectively. Inaccurate perceivers, those underestimating or overestimating their weight, constituted 39%, with overall percent agreement between actual and self-perceived weight being 60.8% (kappa statistic = 0.319, 95% CI [0.242, 0.396]). About a third of the overweight adolescents (30.5%) and more than half of the obese (56.8%) underestimated their weight. In the multivariable analysis, self-perceived weight was statistically significant and a stronger predictor of weight loss effort than body mass index (adjusted odds ratios = 14.42 and 6.42 for slightly high and very high perceived weight, respectively, compared to odds ratios = 1.47 and 2.31 for overweight and obese adolescents, respectively).


CONCLUSION
Health professionals need to consider self-perceived weight in conjunction with actual weight in their pursuit of weight management goals and in planning prevention programmes that guide weight loss behaviours for adolescents.
['Assaad|S|S|0000-0002-8104-1546', 'Anouti|S|S|0000-0003-1813-5301', 'Naja|F|F|0000-0002-8861-3498', 'Nasreddine|L|L|0000-0003-3707-8218', 'Hwalla|N|N|0000-0002-0685-6323', 'Sibai|A M|AM|0000-0002-1851-5606']
D000293:Adolescent D000294:Adolescent Behavior D001828:Body Image D015992:Body Mass Index D001835:Body Weight D005260:Female D015438:Health Behavior D006801:Humans D007861:Lebanon D008297:Male D050177:Overweight D012649:Self Concept D015431:Weight Loss
weight loss Lebanon body mass index weight perception