MISPERCEPTIONS OF OVERWEIGHT: ASSOCIATIONS OF WEIGHT MISPERCEPTION WITH HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG NORMAL-WEIGHT COLLEGE STUDENTS

Southerland et al examine the association between weight misperception and HRQoL among college students. Using data collected from 369 randomly selected college students attending a public university in central Appalachia, they examined how weight misperception was associated with HRQoL. They developed a survey to assess the general health of students. An individual was included in the study if he/she was ≥18 years of age and a full-time student. Electronic surveys were completed by students during Jan-Feb 2010. This study provides new information on the nature of the association between overweight misperception and HRQoL. Overweight misperception should he considered when attempting to understand and predict which college students are likely to have impaired mental health functioning. Additional programming targeting body weight distortion is needed by colleges and universities to promote greater awareness and self-acceptance, regardless of weight status. Future longitudinal research on the relationship between overweight misperception and HRQoL should examine this relationship across BMI classifications to more effectively screen at-risk populations.