BODY WEIGHT PROBLEMS IN THE MODERN WORLD: ON THE ISSUE OF DIFFERENCES IN SELF-ESTEEM OF WEIGHT AMONG MEN AND WOMEN


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Abstract

Relevance. Currently, the problem of obesity has become quite widespread. According to the World Health Organization from 1980 to 2018. the number of obese people around the world has almost doubled and continues to grow. Unfortunately, obesity is not only an external cosmetic defect, but also entails many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, some types of malignant tumors, reproductive disorders, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, etc. musculoskeletal system. It is worth mentioning such pathology as anorexia, which is a serious medical problem, a disease for the treatment of which it is necessary to work with both a psychologist and other qualified specialists.
Purpose. Study of the characteristics of self-assessment of body weight among men and women.
Materials and methods. To study self-esteem, a survey of 250 people was conducted, men accounted for 29.20% (n = 73), women - 70.80% (n = 177). The average age is 23.5 ± 10.3 years. Based on the answers to the question: "How do you assess your body weight?" in accordance with the proposed answer options, 4 groups were selected for research. For the objectivity of self-assessment of the respondents' body weight, the Quetelet Index was used. Statistical data processing was carried out on the Microsoft Excel platform
Results. To the question: "How do you assess your body weight?", Men in 65.70% of cases attributed their weight to normal, 20.55% to excess, 6.85% found it difficult to answer and 6.85% thought they were obese. Among women, 61.02% rated their weight as normal, 32.20% as excess, 2.82% as obesity, and 3.96% found it difficult to estimate. Subsequently, all groups were analyzed using the Quetelet Index for the correspondence of their self-assessment to the actual body weight.
Conclusion. The study revealed differences in self-reported weight among men and women. Women tend to overestimate their weight more, while men are more objective in their self-esteem.

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RELEVANCE
Currently, the problem of obesity has become quite widespread. According to the World Health Organization from 1980 to 2018. the number of obese people around the world has almost doubled and continues to grow. If this situation continues, then by 2025 the increase in obesity among men will be up to 18%, and among women - up to 21% [1]. In the Voronezh region, there has also been an increase in the registered incidence of obesity in all age groups of the population [2]. Unfortunately, obesity is not only an external cosmetic defect, but also entails many diseases. The connection between obesity and such life-threatening pathologies as type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases [3], some types of malignant tumors [4], reproductive disorders [5], diseases of the gastrointestinal tract has been absolutely proven. [6] and the musculoskeletal system [7]. But, despite all this, one should not write off such a pathology as anorexia, which is a serious medical problem, a disease, for the treatment of which it is necessary to work with a psychologist and other qualified specialists. Most often, girls aged 15-25 become victims of this ailment [8], who make up 95% of all cases. Based on the above facts, correct and objective self-assessment of your weight is most relevant at a young age.
TARGET
Study of the characteristics of self-esteem of body weight among young men and women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The material of the research was the data of a survey of 250 young people, the average age is 23.5 ± 10.3 years. Men accounted for 29.2% (n = 73), women accounted for 70.80% (n = 177). The survey for respondents was structured as follows: passport part (gender, age, place of study / work), anthropometric data (height, weight) and the question: "How do you assess your body weight?" In accordance with the proposed answer options (norm, excess, obesity, it is difficult to answer), four groups of women and four groups of men were formed for further analysis. The Quetelet Index (body mass index, BMI) was used to compare the consistency of their self-esteem with their actual weight. The index was calculated on the basis of anthropometric data reflected in the survey (height, weight), BMI = body weight in kilograms / height in meters, squared. Interpretation of the Quetelet index: less than 18.5 kg / m2 is interpreted as a lack of weight, 18.5-24.9 - as a norm, 25-29.9 - as overweight, 30 and more - as obesity. Statistical data processing was carried out on the Microsoft Excel platform, the significance of differences was calculated using the χ2 criterion. Differences were considered statistically significant at a significance level of p <0.05.

RESULTS
According to the results of self-assessment of their weight, 62.40% considered their weight to be normal; 28.80% - excessive; 4.0% thought they were obese; 4.80% - found it difficult to answer. According to the assessment of body mass index, the following results were obtained: underweight - in 11.40%, normal - in 62.0%, 17.0% - were overweight and 9.60% were obese. Comparing the groups that were formed when answering the question: "How do you assess your body weight?" and it turned out when assessing the Quetelet Index, we see a discrepancy between self-esteem and actual body weight: they considered their weight to be overweight 28.8% versus 17.0% for BMI, p = 0.009; and vice versa, obesity was recognized by only 4.0% of respondents versus 9.6% in BMI, p = 0.015. The incidence of normal weight in both self-esteem and BMI were practically identical. It is noteworthy that none of the young people considered themselves to be underweight, although it took place in 11.2% of cases, p <0.001.
Next, we compared the answers and the actual distribution by BMI among men and women. If we analyze the responses of women and their distribution according to BMI, the following results were obtained: 61.0% attributed their weight to normal, 32.0% to excess, 3.96% found it difficult to answer and 3.04% believe that they are obese. However, BMI indicates that 63.0% of women had a normal body weight, 14.89% were overweight, 7.11% were obese, and 15.0% were completely deficient. The differences were significant in relation to underweight (p <0.0001), overweight (p = 0.0008) and obesity (p = 0.029).
In terms of structure, the answers of men looked about the same: 65.59% normal, 20.41% excess, 7.0% obesity, 7.0% found it difficult to answer. The Quetelet index showed an almost identical situation: 60.0% were of normal weight, 21.04% overweight, 14.0% obese and 3.96% underweight. No significant differences were found between self-reported results and BMI.
In order to study in more detail the differences in self-esteem of their weight among men and women, and whether there are any at all, each group that was formed during the survey of respondents was analyzed separately. Among women who responded that they were of normal body weight were 21.29% underweight for BMI, 75.0% were indeed of normal weight, 2.67% overweight and 1.03% overweight. The percentage of errors in this group was 25.0%. In the group with the answer “excess” the following results were obtained: 43.85% were of normal weight, 40.35% were overweight, 15.78% were obese. The error rate was 60.0%. The actual body weight among the responses is obesity: 20.0% normal, 80.0% obese. The error rate is 20.0%. Division among women who found it difficult to answer: 57.0% normal weight, 14.0% obesity, 29.0% lack of mass.
A similar analysis was carried out in groups of men. Actual division by BMI among the “normal” responses: 72.91% normal, 18.75% overweight, 4.16% obese, 4.16% deficient. The error rate is 27.0%. The “excess” response group was divided differently: 26.6% normal weight, 40.0% overweight, 33.33% obesity. The percentage of errors was 60.0%. In the group of answers "obesity" stood out 20.0% with a normal weight, 20.0% with an overweight and 60.0% really had obesity. The error rate was 40.0%. Among men who found it difficult to answer 80.0% had a normal weight, 20.0% was insufficient. There were no significant differences in all four groups of men between self-esteem and BMI.

DISCUSSION
The results of the study showed that self-esteem among people who attributed their weight to overweight or obesity was in most cases different from BMI (28.8% versus 17.0% (p = 0.009) - among excess, 4.0% versus 9 , 6% (p = 0.015) - among obesity). Attention was drawn to the fact that none of the respondents rated their weight as insufficient, however, according to BMI, it was such in 11.2%, p <0.001; 89.28% of them were women, which indicates a tendency to overestimate their weight. After comparing the answers and the actual distribution by BMI in accordance with gender, men were as objective as possible in assessing their weight, in contrast to women. The differences were significant in relation to underweight (p <0.0001), overweight (p = 0.0008) and obesity (p = 0.029) among females. When evaluating the results of each of the four formed groups separately, he draws attention to himself that among women who classified their weight as normal there were 21.29% with a lack of weight by BMI, and in the group of answers "excess" there were 43.85% with a normal weight according to BMI. The results obtained indicate an overweight of self-esteem in women towards exaggeration. A similar assessment of the results in men showed that there were no significant differences in all four groups of men between self-esteem and BMI. However, among the responses “normal”, 18.75% were overweight according to BMI, most likely this percentage included young people who go in for sports and have large muscle mass, as indicated by a recent study [9].
CONCLUSION
Thus, the study showed that both men and women have difficulties in assessing their body weight. However, there are also features that still distinguish their self-esteem from each other: women are more inclined to overestimate their weight, and men are more objective in self-esteem. Illiteracy in this matter entails negative health consequences. Therefore, it is very important to be able to objectively and correctly assess your weight yourself and, if necessary, seek help from specialists who will help solve this problem.

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About the authors

Anastasia Pavlovna Tikhomirova

ВГМУ Им.Н.Н. Бурденко

Author for correspondence.
Email: nastya.chirkova.97@list.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3042-7158
SPIN-code: 3684-3780
Russian Federation

Vasily Romanovich Tikhomirov

Email: vastihom@list.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2647-5912
SPIN-code: 7121-8101
Russian Federation

Natalya Valerievna Dzen

Email: kafepid@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1413-5980
SPIN-code: 8080-3096
Russian Federation

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