Introduction: Obesity affects more than one-quarter of adults in Saudi Arabia and is on the rise. A significant proportion of overweight and obese individuals misperceive their weight, and this misperception can affect their likelihood to exercise, consume healthy foods, or change unhealthy dietary habits. This study examines the prevalence of weight misperceptions in a national sample of Saudi adults and explores weight misperception association with sociodemographic factors, behavioral factors, and health status. Methods: This study was a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted via phone interviews. A proportional quota sampling technique was used to obtain equal distributions of participants, stratified by age and gender, across the 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. Weight and height were self-reported, and obesity was determined as a BMI ≥30. Participants were asked to describe their current weight as ideal, underweight, overweight, or obese. Misclassification was then compared across groups according to a range of sociodemographic factors, behavioral risk factors, and health indicators. Results: Of the 6,239 participants contacted, 4,709 (75.5%) responded and completed the interview. Of them, 50.1% were female, and the mean age was 36.4 (SD ± 13.55) years. The majority (70.1%) of participants indicated having weighed themselves within the past 30 days. The prevalence of weight misperception in general was 42.0%, and in obese participants, it was 67.6%. In addition, a significant association was observed between weight misperception and obesity, age-group, educational level, diagnosed chronic condition, self-rated health, and sedentary lifestyle. There was no significant association between weight misperception and gender, physical activity, or a nutritional knowledge. Conclusions: Weight misperception could be used as an indicator of a poor health routine that may lead to negative health outcomes.
Obes Facts

中文翻译：

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沙特阿拉伯成年人体重误解与健康生活方式的水平和关联

简介：肥胖影响沙特阿拉伯四分之一以上的成年人，并且呈上升趋势。很大一部分超重和肥胖的人对自己的体重有误解，这种误解会影响他们锻炼、食用健康食品或改变不健康饮食习惯的可能性。本研究调查了沙特成年人全国样本中体重误解的普遍性，并探讨了体重误解与社会人口因素、行为因素和健康状况的关系。方法：本研究是一项通过电话访谈进行的全国性横断面调查。使用比例配额抽样技术，在沙特阿拉伯的 13 个地区获得按年龄和性别分层的参与者的平等分布。体重和身高是自我报告的，肥胖被确定为BMI≥30。参与者被要求将他们目前的体重描述为理想、体重不足、超重或肥胖。然后根据一系列社会人口因素、行为风险因素和健康指标在各组之间比较错误分类。结果：在联系的 6,239 名参与者中，有 4,709 名 (75.5%) 回复并完成了采访。其中，50.1% 为女性，平均年龄为 36.4（SD ± 13.55）岁。大多数 (70.1%) 参与者表示在过去 30 天内称过体重。体重错误认知的普遍率为 42.0%，而在肥胖参与者中为 67.6%。此外，体重误解与肥胖、年龄组、教育水平、诊断出的慢性病、自评健康和久坐的生活方式之间存在显着关联。体重误解与性别、身体活动或营养知识之间没有显着关联。结论：体重误解可用作不良健康习惯的指标，可能导致负面的健康结果。
肥胖事实