Teenage weight perception

by Khalil El Hajal

edited by Claire Guy

 

 

Weight perception is a worldwide issue, according to the US national library of Medicine, weight perception is common in both genders, Females are more likely to think that they are fat and unfit whereas males are more likely to think they are fit and slim. Studies have shown that accuracy in weight perception has been associated with age, race, gender, income, education and lifestyle behaviors. According to my source ANAD the consequences for this                                                                          perception are unhealthy weight control practices among normal weight                                                                            adolescents, a greater risk of adult obesity, mental illnesses such as                                                                                    depression and eating  disorders like bulimia and anorexia.

 

                                                                   According to surveys taken by 8th grade students in AIS-R, origin, gender and                                                                    the amount of time spent on social media are the three main factors of                                                                                weight perception. 92% of underweight misperceivers are female. According                                                                      to the US national library of medicine most females are constantly worrying                                                                      about being skinny and looking a certain way. According to my anonymous                                                                        underweight misperciever and BBC, social media is the main factor, girls are                                                                      constantly under pressure to look a certain way because of how celebrities,                                                                        models and friends at school look.                 

  

 

Data shows that 68% of  Middle eastern are mispercievers,

therefore weight perception can also be influenced by origin.

However there is no evidence to link weight perception and

grades or amount of sleep, because most of mispercievers

are the ones with the higher GPA’s.

 

A male misperciever responded to a couple of questions

regarding the perception of their weight. He said ‘’ People

say I’m fat, but I think I have the body of  model ‘’. Even

though his BMI is 26 which is in the overweight category.

However he still thinks that he is fit. When I asked him

what do you think influences your perception he said

‘’ Sometimes it’s because of my role models that have

great bodies and because of friends and social media’’.

 

But when a female misperciever that is skinny was asked exactly the same questions about her weight perception, she has a BMI of 18 which is in the underweight category, her answers were completely the opposite,  she said ‘’ I think I’m at the edge of middleweight and fat, I have to lose weight’’, she has a special fitness program and diet, she eats a salad for lunch, and a small sandwich for dinner. She told me that what influences her perception is how people will look at her at school or out, and it’s because of how people on social media think about fat girls.

 

It is alarming and concerning how these mispercievers are harming their bodies unintentionally and think they are doing something right. How can we go about solving this problem when it is part of our culture? This is a losing battle, girls are feeling as they are between a rock and a hard spot. And boys are thinking that they are between a pillow and a  feather.