1. Extreme under-reporting of body weight by young adults with obesity: relation to social desirability.
- Author
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King BM, Cespedes VM, Burden GK, Brady SK, Clement LR, Abbott EM, Baughman KS, Joyner SE, Clark MM, and Pury CLS
- Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between under-reporting of body weight and social desirability as is found with self-reports of energy intake., Methods: Twenty-seven lean individuals (mean body mass index ± standard deviation = 21.6 ± 2.0 kg m
-2 ) and 26 individuals with obesity (mean body mass index = 35.4 ± 4.8 kg m-2 ) were e-mailed a questionnaire on which they had to state their body weight and conduct a home food inventory. The next day, research team members went to their homes to weigh the participants, conduct their own food inventory and administer the Marlowe-Crowne scale for social desirability., Results: Among individuals with obesity, lower social desirability scores were associated with a greater degree of under-reporting body weight (r = +0.48, p < 0.02). Among lean individuals, the correlation was negative but statistically non-significant (p = -0.22, p > 0.10). Nine individuals with obesity were extreme under-reporters (2.27 kg or more), and eight of these had social desirability scores in the bottom half of the Marlowe-Crowne scale (p < 0.01). Six under-reported on the home food inventory by three or more items., Conclusions: Individuals with obesity and low social desirability scores are more likely than others to be extreme under-reporters of body weight, possibly due to a lack of awareness of their own weight.- Published
- 2018
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