Changing perceptions of weight in Great Britain: Comparison of two population surveys

Abstract

Objectives: To examine changes in public perceptions of overweight in Great Britain over an eight year period. Design: Comparison of data on self perceived weight from population surveys in 1999 and 2007. Setting: Household surveys of two representative samples in Great Britain. Participants: 853 men and 944 women in 1999, and 847 men and 989 women in 2007. Main outcome measures: Participants were asked to report their weight and height and classify their body size on a scale from "very underweight" to "obese." Results: Self reported weights increased dramatically over time, but the weight at which individuals perceived themselves to be overweight also rose significantly. In 1999, 81% of overweight participants correctly identified themselves as overweight compared with 75% in 2007, demonstrating a decrease in sensitivity in the self diagnosis of overweight. Conclusions: Despite media and health campaigns aiming to raise awareness of healthy weight, increasing numbers of overweight people fail to recognise that their weight is a cause for concern. This makes it less likely that they will see calls for weight control as personally relevant.