Association between body image perception and physical activity level in young people of the minor cohort of Young Lives 2021

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescence is a stage of significant change in which body image perception, influenced by various factors, can become distorted and affect individual behavior, leading to changes in habits. Objective: To analyze the association between body image perception and physical activity levels among adolescents. Methodology: A secondary cross-sectional study using data from the younger cohort of the Young Lives study in Peru. Two indicators were constructed to measure body image perception using Collins’ silhouette scale: (i) perceived nutritional status, and (ii) correspondence between perceived body image and actual nutritional status. Physical activity level was classified as meeting or not meeting WHO recommendations. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated using Poisson regression, for both perceived nutritional status and the correspondence between body image perception and actual nutritional status, and their association with physical activity level. Results: While 27.0% of the population is overweight or obese, only 8.1% perceive themselves as such, and 63.2% overestimate their nutritional status. Additionally, 20.7% do not meet physical activity recommendations. Those who overestimate their weight are 12% more likely to meet the recommended physical activity level (aPR: 1.12 [1.04–1.21], p=0.003). Conclusion: Body image perception is positively associated with physical activity levels, and a distorted self-perception could influence unhealthy behaviors.