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Association between body mass index and perceived weight status with self-rated health and life satisfaction in Iranian children and adolescents: the CASPIAN-III study

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Abstract

Purpose

Adolescent obesity is a well-known worldwide issue with growing prevalence and complications. The concept of body image and complications of its misperception has been noted more recently. Life satisfaction (LS) and self-rated health (SRH) have also been known as independent morbidity and mortality factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate the associations of perceived weight status (body image) and actual body mass index (BMI), with LS and SRH in a nationally representative sample of a pediatric population in Iran, as a country located in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Methods

This nationwide population-based survey was conducted among 5,570 (2,784 female and 2,786 male) Iranian students, aged 10–18 years, living in urban and rural areas of 27 provinces, which were selected via multistage sampling method. Agreement between BMI and perceived weight status (underweight, about right and overweight/obesity) was assessed. Adjusted association between BMI and perceived weight status with LS and SRH was assessed using multiple logistic regressions after adjustment for potential confounders.

Results

Nearly 40 % of the participants misperceived their body image. Misperception as overweight or underweight was found to be associated with lower odds for both LS and SRH [overweight SRH OR 0.796 (95 % CI 0.647–980), underweight SRH OR 0.701 (95 % CI 0.588–0.835), overweight LS OR 0.884 (95 % CI 0.718-998), underweight LS OR = 0.676 (95 % CI 0.577–0.793)], whereas the association between actual BMI with LS and SRH was not statistically significant (P value > 0.05).

Conclusion

A mismatch between BMI and body weight perception was found in this study. Moreover, LS and SRH were not related with BMI, but had negative association with body weight perception.

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Acknowledgments

This nationwide survey was conducted in Iran with corporation of the Ministry of Health and Medical education, Ministry of Education and Training, Child Health Promotion Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, and Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Conflict of interests

The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Ramin Heshmat

  2. Pediatrics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

    Roya Kelishadi & Gelayol Ardalan

  3. Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Nazgol Motamed-Gorji

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Mohammad-Esmaeil Motlagh

  5. Department of Exercise Physiology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    Tahereh Arifirad

  6. Non-communicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mostafa Qorbani

  7. Research Development Center, Arash Women’s Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Hadith Rastad

  8. Department of Medical Emergencies, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran

    Hamid Asayesh

  9. Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Shirin Djalalinia & Bagher Larijani

  10. Development of Research and Technology Center, Deputy of Research and Technology, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran

    Shirin Djalalinia

  11. School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Baghestan Bolvard, 31485/56, Karaj, Iran

    Mostafa Qorbani

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  1. Ramin Heshmat
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  2. Roya Kelishadi
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  3. Nazgol Motamed-Gorji
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  4. Mohammad-Esmaeil Motlagh
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Correspondence to Mostafa Qorbani.

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Heshmat, R., Kelishadi, R., Motamed-Gorji, N. et al. Association between body mass index and perceived weight status with self-rated health and life satisfaction in Iranian children and adolescents: the CASPIAN-III study. Qual Life Res 24, 263–272 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-014-0757-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-014-0757-x

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