Perception of body mass index and health issues related to overweight/obesity in an outpatient women’s clinic

ABSTRACT

A body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m² is linked to worse health outcomes. Little is known about women’s awareness of their BMI and their awareness of associations between high BMI and cardiovascular and gynecologic diseases. We investigated perceived versus actual BMI of women in an outpatient women’s health clinic and determined awareness of health risks linked to high BMI. We administered an anonymous survey to women presenting for health care in gynecological services at an urban OB/GYN women’s health clinic. We used a Kappa test to determine agreement between perceived versus actual BMI category (defined using CDC guidelines) and Fisher’s exact tests to determine rates of awareness of health risks linked to high BMI. One-hundred seventeen women (84% African-American) participated in ≥1 portion of the survey. Mean age = 31.03 ± 9.54 years; mean BMI = 33.8 ± 10 kg/m². Of 76 respondents, 50 underestimated their BMI category (p < .01). Women were unaware that high BMI was linked to gynecologic outcomes and earlier death (<58% of women reported awareness for each outcome; p > .09 for all). Women seeking outpatient gynecologic care did not accurately perceive BMI and were unlikely to associate high BMI with gynecologic conditions. Improved awareness of BMI and health risks of obesity are educational opportunities for women.

KEYWORDS:

• Body mass index
• obesity
• prevention
• women’s health

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).