Some Obese People Do Not Have a Correct Preception of Their Body Size

A recent research has pointed out that some obese people think their body size is perfectly normal and hence do not do much to lose weight.

In the study of 5,893 people, researchers found that 8 percent of the 2,056, who were obese said they were satisfied with their body size or felt they could gain weight.

"Almost one in 10 obese individuals are satisfied with their body size and don't perceive that they need to lose weight," said Tiffany Powell, M.D., lead author of the study and a cardiology fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

"That is a sizeable percentage who don't understand they are overweight, but believe they are healthy," Powell added.

Participants included about 50 percent blacks, 20 percent Hispanics and 30 percent whites, similar to other urban populations, Powell said.

About half - 54 percent - were women. African Americans (14 percent) and Hispanics (11 percent) were significantly more likely than whites (2 percent) to be satisfied with their body size and believe that they did not need to lose weight.

Using the sex-specific Stunkard nine-figure scale, participants chose the figure that represented their present body size and the figure that represented their ideal body size. Self-perceived ideal body size was classified as below normal, normal and above normal.