Results indicated that perceived overweight was associated with an increased likelihood of attempting weight loss and with healthy and unhealthy weight control strategies in some participant groups .
However , perceived overweight was not reliably associated with physical activity or healthy eating and was associated with greater disordered eating in some groups .
Rather than being associated with improved weight management , there was consistent evidence that perceived overweight was predictive of increased weight gain over time .
Individuals who perceive their weight status as overweight are more likely to report attempting weight loss but over time gain more weight
It is commonly assumed that a person identifying that they are ' overweight ' is an important prerequisite to successful weight management .
However , there has been no systematic evaluation of evidence supporting this proposition .
The aim of the present research was to systematic ally review evidence on the relationship between perceived overweight and ( i ) weight loss attempts , ( ii )  weight control strategies ( healthy and unhealthy )  , ( iii ) weight-related behaviours ( physical activity and eating habits ) , ( iv ) disordered eating and ( v ) weight change .
Association between actual weight status, perceived weight and depressive, anxious symptoms in Chinese adolescents: a cross-sectional study
BackgroudThe purpose of this study was to describe actual measured weight and perceived weight and to explore associations with  depressive , anxiety symptoms in school adolescents in China . Methods A sample of 1144 Chinese adolescents was r and omly selected from four schools in Wuhan , China , including 665 boys and 479 girls with ages ranging between 10 and 17 years .  Actual measured weight and height and perceived weight status were compared to anxiety and depressive symptoms measured using the revised Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Children 's Depression Inventory . A general linear model was used to compare differences in psychological symptoms among the teenagers with different measured and perceived weights . Results When compared with st and ardized weight tables ( WHO age- and gender-specific body mass index ( BMI ) cutoffs ( 2007 reference ) ) , girls were more likely to misperceive themselves as overweight , whereas more boys misclassified their weight status as underweight . The adolescents who perceived themselves as overweight were more likely to experience depressive and anxiety symptoms ( except girls ) than those who perceived themselves as normal and /or underweight . However , no significant association was found between depressive and anxiety symptoms actual measured weight status . Conclusions Perceived weight status , but not the actual weight status , was associated with psychological symptoms
Results indicated that perceived overweight was associated with an increased likelihood of attempting weight loss and with healthy and unhealthy weight control strategies in some participant groups .
However , perceived overweight was not reliably associated with physical activity or healthy eating and was associated with greater disordered eating in some groups .
Rather than being associated with improved weight management , there was consistent evidence that perceived overweight was predictive of increased weight gain over time .
Individuals who perceive their weight status as overweight are more likely to report attempting weight loss but over time gain more weight
It is commonly assumed that a person identifying that they are ' overweight ' is an important prerequisite to successful weight management .
However , there has been no systematic evaluation of evidence supporting this proposition .
The aim of the present research was to systematic ally review evidence on the relationship between perceived overweight and ( i ) weight loss attempts , ( ii )  weight control strategies ( healthy and unhealthy )  , ( iii ) weight-related behaviours ( physical activity and eating habits ) , ( iv ) disordered eating and ( v ) weight change .