Fat Detectors

    Although women are more likely than men to assess their weight status accurately, gender isn’t the only factor that influences how weight is judged. A 2002 study conducted by researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center discovered that race, BMI, education, and income also play a role.

    Being Caucasian, lean, or well educated or having a higher income is associated with a greater likelihood of correctly assessing one’s weight status.

FROM A MAN’S VIEWPOINT WHO’S MORE OVERWEIGHT,WOMEN OR MEN?

   Are these shirt collars getting tight or did the dry cleaner shrink them?

   Studies have found that many men’s ability to assess their weight status is less finely tuned than women’s.Why might this be? The reason could be in part that compared with women, the majority of men
have less practice analyzing their bodies and, in turn, their weight. Other than shaving, brushing their teeth, and buying new clothes, men typically don’t spend much time in front of a mirror.Whereas a woman
can easily spend 45 to 60 minutes getting ready for her day—in the shower, styling her hair, applying cosmetics, and dressing—men tend to spend a fraction of that time in their daily ritual. Let’s be honest—
the amount of face time the genders spend in front of a mirror (especially a full-length one) is very different.

   Another factor that can skew a guy’s self-assessment skills when it comes to his weight is our societal view of what men are supposed to look like. Just as our culture values very thin women, it also values large, strong men. A comment like “He looks like a linebacker” is a compliment for most guys and an aspiration of many young men. So when some guys do take a good look at their bodies they see themselves as big rather than overweight.
    There’s another irony when it comes to men,women, and their perceptions of weight. Just as women confuse the ideal-for-appearance body with the ideal-for-health body, so do men—but the opposite way.

FROM A WOMAN’S VIEWPOINT WHO’S MORE OVERWEIGHT,WOMEN OR MEN?

      Women are not in wonderland when they’re in front of the looking glass. Researchers have confirmed that compared with men,women are more accurate in assessing the status of their weight.They seem to be able to quickly pinpoint when and where they are accumulating body fat and are faster to acknowledge a need to lose weight. And if a woman is actively gaining weight or is already overweight or obese, that finely
tuned ability to see body fat is good news. But it can have a dark side, too. It’s no secret that our society values thinness in women.

     Underweight women routinely grace the covers of popular women’s magazines and star in the latest Hollywood films. But the reality is that being underweight also carries health risks. The constant exposure to toothin women may create an environment in which a woman who is already at a healthy weight may feel the need to lose weight and a woman who is overweight may overestimate the amount of weight she needs to lose. Indeed, in a woman’s mind, there tends to be a mix-up between the body weight that is desirable for good health and the one that is deemed desirable for appearance.

     Surveys have found that this is particularly true for young and middle-aged women, who are often more likely to consider themselves overweight even when their weight is within the recommended range.

Who’s More Overweight, Women or Men?

    Since weight is often thought of as a woman’s issue, most of us would be tempted to answer that question by saying women are. But there are actually more overweight men in the US than overweight women.
According to the latest national statistics, 71 percent of adult men and 62 percent of adult women are overweight. When it comes to obesity, the news is different—there are more obese women than obese men.

    The landscape when it comes to who’s more obese seems to be changing, however. The rate among adult women is about 33 percent and has stayed relatively steady for several years. And although there are fewer obese men—the current rate is 31 percent—that number is on the rise. For example, in 1999 only 27.5 percent of men were obese.

     Men now make up one of the fastest-growing groups of weight gainers in our society (children are another). Why are men more likely to be overweight than women? While several factors undoubtedly account for the difference, the gender gap when it comes to self-assessment may play an important role.Women are more likely than men to identify themselves as overweight, while men are more likely to remain unaware of the status of their weight.

Let’s Talk!

     Before deciding that losing weight is the right course of action for you, it’s important to assess your risks and realize your weightloss advantages.To explore this area, spend a few minutes thinking about the following questions:
     1. What is your body mass index (BMI)? What is your waist circumference? How do they compare with what the experts say is a healthy weight and waist circumference?
    2. Are you experiencing or at high risk for any weight-related health problems?
    3. Does your weight affect your mood and how you feel about your body?

Wrapping Things Up Excess weight affects the lives of both women and men.

       Being overweight has health consequences affecting both physical and mental well-being. The first step is to separate the definition of an attractive weight from the definition of a healthy weight. The second step is to see how you and your partner measure up when it comes to being at a healthy weight. Based on that reality check, you can make an informed decision about the need to lose weight. And if losing weight is the reasonable answer, be assured that doing so can provide both men and women with significant health benefits and an improved quality of life.
      • A weight that society considers attractive is typically not the same as a weight that scientists consider healthy. Doctors and researchers use a measurement called the body mass index (BMI) to determine weight status. The BMI ranges are the same for women and men. They can easily be calculated using a formula that analyzes height and weight or they can be determined by consulting one of many Web sites. A limitation of the BMI is that it can’t determine whether excess body fat is stored in the danger zone—the belly. Adding waist circumference to the BMI provides a better assessment of whether or not weight loss is needed.
     • Carrying extra weight predisposes both women and men to health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and infertility. In addition, each of the sexes has a unique set of weightrelated health risks. But the good news is that losing weight—even as little as 10 pounds—can help reduce the risks and/or improve existing health issues.
     • Being overweight has a psychological impact on women and men of all ethnic backgrounds. Women tend to adopt a negative body image earlier in life than men do. Women often feel that they are judged more on their appearance than on their talent or achievements. The typical male experience is different. Men generally start out with a positive body image, but as the years go by and the pounds go up, the body image becomes increasingly negative. And because men are more likely than women to feel that they are judged more on performance and less on appearance, they tend to have fewer negative emotions related to their weight.Before deciding that losing weight is the right course of action for you, it’s important to assess your risks and realize your weightloss advantages.

To explore this area, spend a few minutes thinking about the following questions:
       1. What is your body mass index (BMI)? What is your waist circumference? How do they compare with what the experts say is a healthy weight and waist circumference?
     2. Are you experiencing or at high risk for any weight-related health problems?
     3. Does your weight affect your mood and how you feel about your body