Self-assessment and self-perception of the body in 18-year-old girls

Introduction:
Studies focusing on self-perception of one’s body usually cover subjects with eating disorders. There is a lack of similar studies.

Aim of the study:
Conducting survey research on self-assessment and self-perception of one’s own body in girls.

Material and methods:
A survey was conducted in 1047 female students (average age: 18 years ±0.25) focusing on self-assessment and self-perception of their body mass, body parts, and eating habits. The study subjects were divided into groups of normal weight, obese, and underweight according to their BMI and BMI-SDS.

Results:
There were twice as many girls dissatisfied with their body weight in the underweight group and 10 times as many in the obese group. 8% of girls with normal body weight perceived their body as overweight. 70% of subjects with a normal body weight and ca. 25% of obese thought they were obese in the area of the abdomen, hips, buttocks, and thighs. Fear of gaining weight was characteristic most often for girls with abnormal body weight who confessed to eating disorders.

Conclusions:
1. Most 18-year-old girls do not demonstrate any symptoms of distorted body self-perception; a vast majority of girls with normal body weight exaggerate the shapes of body parts, which causes them to undertake measures aiming to lose weight. Only a quarter of obese subjects perceive their individual body parts as obese, which might result in their lack of motivation to lose weight. 2. It is necessary to introduce healthy lifestyle educators in schools to prevent ED and obesity in adolescents.