Gender Disparities in Body Weight, Weight Perception, and Health Behaviors among Young Adults

• In Event: 3129 - Section on Medical Sociology Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 1. Gendered Effects on Health

Abstract

In this article, I use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, 1997 cohort, to examine the relationship between body weight, weight perception, and weight intention from adolescence to young adulthood. I use regression methods and data visualization to track changes in body weight and weight perception from age 16 to 30 and to examine gender and race disparities in weight perception and intention. The results show that weight pessimism and optimism emerges early in adolescence and is strongly gendered. Young women are more likely to be weight pessimists and misidentify their weight status. Young men are more likely to be weight optimists and to perceive medically unhealthy weights as acceptable. Young adult ideal body weights are influenced by gender and race, and diverge significantly from established overweight and obesity thresholds.

Author

• Jamie L. Lynch, St. Norbert College