Wrong assessment of body size contributes to obesity

A new study has found that people who fail to recognize abnormal weight contribute to adolescent and adult obesity.

According to researchers at the Columbia University Medical Center, seven in every ten obese adults underestimate how much someone weighs, which can set in motion life-long distorted perceptions of what is acceptable and healthy.

Lead author Tracy Paul found that many parents of obese children do not try to prevent their children from becoming obese because they often do not perceive weight as a problem, or do not see the link between obesity and health problems.

Paul said that the failure to recognize abnormal weight occurs more often among overweight or obese mothers and children as their mothers often also underestimate adult size, suggesting that tolerance of being overweight is common among children exposed to obese parents.

According to the researchers, this is worrying, as flawed weight perception impedes one's ability to recognize obesity and its risks as a personal health issue.

The study was published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.