Body Self-Perception, Dietary Self-Efficacy, and Body Mass Index in Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic Characteristics and BMI According to Sex of Participants

Variable	Male		Female		Total		P-value
	n/M	%/SD	n/M	%/SD	n/M	%/SD
Age	31.27	9.25	29.18	8.34	30.17	8.84	0.018*
Origin							0.544
Coast	95	50.0	108	51.4	203	50.7
Sierra	72	37.9	74	35.2	146	36.5
Amazonia	23	12.1	28	9.5	51	12.8
Level of education							0.281
Basic	51	26.9	46	22.0	5	24.6
Technical	71	37.4	69	32.9	140	35
Professional	68	35.7	95	37.1	129	32.3
Marital status							0.321
Single	137	72.10	151	71.9	288	72
Married	53	27.9	59	28.1	112	28.0
Hours of sleep	6.70	1.18	6.93	1.07	6.82	1.12	0.351
Physical activity							0.017**
Never	40	21.1	73	34.8	113	28.2
1–2 times/week	105	55.3	103	49.0	208	52
3–4 times/week	33	17.4	25	11.9	58	14.5
Daily	12	6.3	9	4.3	21	5.3
Dietary patterns							0.027**
Vegetarians	53	27.9	39	18.6	92	23
No-vegetarians	137	72.1	171	81.4	308	77
Weight	70.62	10.46	60.14	10.1	65.12	11.54	0.000*
Height	1.66	0.06	1.55	0.05	1.60	0.07	0.000*
Measured BMI	25.4	3.32	24.78	3.94	25.07	3.67	0.088
Desired BMI	22.06	1.86	22.16	1.66	22.11	1.75	0.574
Perceived BMI	23.75	2.79	23.85	2.97	23.8	2.88	0.729

Notes: *Student’s t-test (statistical significance <0.0.5). **Chi-square test (statistical significance <0.0.5).

Abbreviations: M, Mean; SD, Standard deviation, BMI measured, body mass index measured through weight and height; Desired BMI, desired body mass index; perceived BMI, perceived body mass index.

Table 2 Analysis of the Variables DIET-SE, BMI, and Body Self-Perception According to Sex of the Participants

Variable	Female		Male		χ^2	P-value*
	n	%	n	%
DIET-SE
High self-efficiency	81	38.6	71	37.4	0.061	0.804
Low self-efficacy	129	61.4	119	62.6
BMI
Underweight	3	1.4	1	0.5	7.027	0.071
Normal	131	62.4	97	51.1
Overweight	58	27.6	74	38.9
Obesity	18	8.6	18	9.5
Body satisfaction
Body satisfaction	89	42.9	63	33.2	7.242	0.027*
Dissatisfaction due to low weight	15	7.1	7	3.7
Dissatisfaction due to excess weight	106	50.5	120	63.2
Self-perception
Looks the same	134	63.8	95	50.0	14.759	0.000*
Overestimation of BMI	22	10.5	12	6.3
Underestimation of BMI	54	25.7	83	43.7

Note: *Chi-square test (statistical significance <0.0.5).

Abbreviations: DIET-SE, Dieting Self-Efficacy Scale; BMI, body mass index.

Table 3 Analysis of Anthropometric Variables and Dietary Self-Efficacy Based on Body Satisfaction Categories

Variable	Body Satisfaction			P-value*
	Body Satisfaction	Body Dissatisfaction for Low Weight	Body Dissatisfaction for Excess Weight
Age	28 ± 8.5	28 ± 9.71	32 ± 8.63	0.000*
Measured BMI	22.68 ± 1.6	20.1 ± 1.33	27.16 ± 3.36	0.000*
Perceived BMI	22 ± 1.53	23 ± 1.62	22 ± 1.84	0.000*
Hours of sleep	6.9 ± 1.0	6.8 ± 1.07	6.8 ± 1.18	0.801
DIET-SE	21.8 ± 8.6	21 ± 8.9	22 ± 8.6	0.849

Note: *Kruskal–Wallis test.

Abbreviations: Measured BMI, measured body mass index; perceived BMI, perceived body mass index; DIET-SE, Dieting Self-Efficacy Scale.

Table 4 Analysis of Anthropometric Variables and DIET-SE Based on the Categories of Body Self-Perception According to Sex of the Participants

Variable	Body Perception
	Looks the Same	Overestimated	Underestimated	p-value*
Age	29.6 ± 8.7	27.6 ± 9.3	31.7 ± 8.6)	0.000*
Measured BMI	24.0 ± 2.5	22.2 ± 2.2	27.5 ± 4.2	0.000*
Desired BMI	22.1 ± 1.6	22.4 ± 1.8	22.1 ± 1.8	0.562
Hours of sleep	8.4 ± 10.0	6.9 ± 1.1	8.5 ± 10.0	0.847
DIET-SE	21.8 ± 8.7	23.2 ± 7.7	20.8 ± 8.4	0.316

Note: *ANOVA.

Abbreviations: Measured BMI, measured body mass index; desired BMI, desired body mass index; DIET-SE, Dieting Self-Efficacy Scale.

Table 5 Analysis of Anthropometric Variables and Body Self-Perception Based on the DIET-SE Categories

Variable	DIET-SE		P-value*
	High Self-Efficiency	Low Self-Efficiency
Age	30 ± 8.61	30.54 ± 9.21	0.516
Measured BMI	24.71 ± 3.28	25.3 ± 3.88	0.115
Desired BMI	22.1 ± 1.84	22.13 ± 1.61	0.883
Perceived BMI	23.6 ± 2.57	23.9 ± 3.05	0.324
Hours of sleep	6.8 ± 1.19	6.9 ± 1.03	0.357

Note: *Student’s t-test.

Abbreviations: Measured BMI, measured body mass index; desired BMI, desired body mass index; perceived BMI, perceived body mass index.

Figure 1 Analysis of the DIET-SE variable according to the three subscales.

Abbreviations: HCF, high caloric food temptations; SIF, social and internal factors; NEE, negative emotional events.