The Evaluation of Obesity Prejudices among Adolescents

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Sinem Bayram
Esra Köseler Beyaz
Perim Fatma Türker
Mendane Saka

Keywords

Abstract

Aim: Stigma and discrimination toward obese persons are pervasive and give rise to numerous consequences for their psychological and physical health. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional status and the obesity prejudices of adolescents.


Methods: A total of 341 volunteer adolescents participated in this study (149 boys, 192 girls). A questionnaire which consisted of anthropometric measurements and demographic features was used. Adolescents with obesity prejudice scale score greater than 85 were considered as prejudiced.


Results: The mean age of the boys and the girls were 15.9±1.14 and 15.6±1.02 years, respectively. The percentages of the boys and the girls with BMI standard deviation score (SDS) >+2 kg/m2 were 0.7% and 1.1%, respectively.  The percentages of the boys and the girls with BMI SDS < -2 kg/m2 were 3.4% and 10.2%, respectively. The majority of the adolescents (66.3%) were found to have a BMI SDS ranging between +1 and +2. As BMI increased, obesity prejudice was found to increase in both genders; however, obesity prejudice was determined to decrease as age increased only in boys, which wasn’t statistically significant.


Conclusions: The study concluded that obesity prejudice increased as BMI increased. On the other hand, increasing age was found to decrease obesity prejudice in male adolescents.

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