Body weight perception, weight control behavior and quality of life in Mexican adolescents of secondary school / Percepción del peso corporal, comportamiento de control de peso y calidad de vida en adolescentes mexicanos estudiantes de secundaria

Resumen

Abstract. This cross-sectional study analyzed by gender the association between body weight perception and weight control behavior with quality of life (QL) in 563 middle school students (age x̅ = 13.3, SD = 0.94), from all grades of nine middle schools of South region of Jalisco state realized in 2010. There were 51.9% boys and 19.8% worked. A self-administered questionnaire on line was used (YQOL-R), perceptual module, and five items of body weight adapted from 2009 Middle School YRBS. Statistical analysis included chi squared, Student t test, Spearman correlation, ANOVA and Tamhane ́s T2. Results: QOL was higher in normal weight perception category than low weight or overweight perception categories; a negative correlation between QOL and weight perception was observed (overweight rs = -.22; low weight rs = -.16); QOL was lower in those who tried to maintain weight in total sample and in girls in relation to those who tried to maintained it. We concluded that weight control behavior is associated with weight perception and both are associated with quality of life. Gender was important to understand the variables studied.

Key words: weight perception, obesity, weight control behaviors, quality of life, adolescent.

Resumen. Este estudio transversal analizó la asociación de la percepción del peso corporal y el comportamiento alimentario de control de peso con la calidad de vida (CV) por género, en 563 estudiantes de secundaria (edad x̅ = 13.3, DE = 0.94) de todos los grados de nueve secundarias de la región del sur de Jalisco realizado en 2010. Eran 51.9% varones, 19.8% del total trabajaban. Se auto-administró en línea un cuestionario de CV (YQOL-R) módulo perceptual, y cinco ítems acerca del peso adapta- dos del 2009 Middle School YRBS. Estadística: chi cuadrada, t de Student, p de Spearman y ANOVA, T2 de Tamhane. Resultados: CV más alta para peso percibido cercano al correcto, respecto a bajo peso y sobrepeso; correlación negativa entre CV y percepción del peso (sobrepeso rs = -.22; bajo peso rs = -.16); CV más baja en quienes trataban de mantenerse en su peso en muestra total y en mujeres respecto a las que querían mantenerlo. Concluimos que el comportamiento alimentario está asociado de manera importante a la percepción del peso y ambos a la calidad de vida, y el género es fundamental para comprender las variables estudiadas.

Palabras clave: Percepción del peso, control de peso, comportamientos alimentarios, calidad de vida, adolescente.