Most people in the UK who are clinically obese do not realise this, according to a study published today.
Many of these obese people would not even call themselves "very overweight."
Researchers found that less than 10% of those who are defined as clinically obese accept they have a serious weight problem.
The BMJ Open study reports a survey in which most obese women said they were "just right". Some 2,000 adults took part in the survey. Just 7% of men admitted to being obese.
Researchers found that the number of women accepting that they are obese has reduced in recent years, from 13% to 11%. And there was a dramatic reduction in those willing to describe themselves as "very overweight."
But there was a small increase in the number of men admitting to obesity.
Professor Jane Wardle, of University College, London, UK, who conducted the analysis, said one problem was that the word "obese" was considered derogatory.
She said: “It’s a real worry that people don’t recognise that their weight places them in the obese category, because it means they aren’t aware they are at increased risk of a number of health problems including cancer.
“This is despite increased media coverage of obesity, and public health campaigns aimed at improving public awareness. Mass media often illustrate obesity in a way that people find offensive, with pictures of bulging beer bellies and huge behinds, so people shy away from these images."
She added: “We need to establish better ways for health professionals to address this sensitive subject and communicate with people whose health would benefit from positive lifestyle changes.”
Johnson et al. Do weight perceptions among obese adults in Great Britain match clinical definitions? Analysis of cross-sectional surveys from 2007 and 2012. BMJ Open. 14 November 2014
Leave a Reply