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Weight perceptions in older adults: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Jackson, SE; Smith, L; Steptoe, A; (2020) Weight perceptions in older adults: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. BMJ Open , 10 (2) , Article e033773. 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033773. Green open access

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To explore weight perceptions in a large, nationally representative sample of older adults, and the extent to which they differ according to age and perceived health status. SETTING: England. PARTICIPANTS: 5240 men and women (≥50 years old) participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2016/2017). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight perception was self-reported as too heavy, too light or about right. RESULTS: The majority of older adults endorsed a weight perception that matched their (objectively measured) body mass index (BMI) classification. However, 1 in 10 (9.9%) older adults classified by BMI as normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m2) felt too light, with women at the upper end of the older age spectrum (OR=1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.09), and men (OR=3.70, 95% CI 1.88 to 7.28) and women (OR=2.61, 95% CI 1.27 to 5.35) in poorer health more likely to do so. Almost half (44.8%) of older adults classified as overweight (25-29.9 kg/m2) and 1 in 10 (10.3%) classified as obese (≥30 kg/m2) felt about the right weight, with this observed more frequently among men and women at the upper end of the older age spectrum (OR range 1.04-1.06). CONCLUSION: Older adults' perceptions of their own weight generally correspond with traditional BMI cut-offs for normal weight, overweight and obesity. However, a substantial minority 'underestimate' their weight status, with those at the upper end of the age spectrum and those in poorer health more likely to do so.

Type: Article
Title: Weight perceptions in older adults: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033773
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033773
Language: English
Additional information: This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Epidemiology and Health > Behavioural Science and Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10091689
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