Body weight dissatisfaction in the Icelandic adult population: A normative discontent?

Abstract

Background: Body weight dissatisfaction is a common problem in many modern societies and it appears to have grown over time. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of body weight dissatisfaction among 18- to 79-year-old Icelanders. The distribution of body weight dissatisfaction according to the WHO body mass index criteria for underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity was also assessed. Methods: The study was based on 5832 participants in the cross-sectional survey 'Health and Well-Being of Icelanders', administered by the Public Health Institute in Iceland in the fall of 2007. Results: Around 43 of adult Icelanders are dissatisfied with their own body weight (50 of females; 35 of males) and 72 believe they need to lose weight (80 of females; 63 of males). Despite being in normal range according to the WHO-based BMI criteria, 64 of females in that category believe they need to lose weight. Multivariate results show that indicators of socio-economic status (SES) are not significantly associated with body weight dissatisfaction among females, while among males, those with university education are more often dissatisfied than those with secondary education (OR=1.5, P<0.05; for self-perceived need to lose weight, estimates are OR=1.4, P<0.05 for females, and OR=2.5, P<0.001 for males). Conclusion: The prevalence of body dissatisfaction is so prominent among Icelandic female adults that it can rightfully be labelled a normative discontent in this population. © The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.