Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Is Obesity Contagious by Way of Body Image? A Study on Japanese Female Students in the United States

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Community Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although it has been suggested that obesity is ‘contagious’ within the social network, direct cause of this spread of obesity remains unclear. This study hypothesized that Body Image (BI), the perception of one’s own body size, may play a role in this obesity spread, since a high prevalence of obesity could shift people’s perception of ‘what is normal’. Young Japanese females (n = 53) were interviewed within 1 month after moving to New York City, where the prevalence of obesity is substantially higher than that of their home country, Japan. Each participant was examined for her BI in terms of current body size (CBS) and ideal body size (IBS). They were interviewed again 2 months after the first examination. Between the two interviews, the participants’ CBS was decreased (having thinner self-image), while the IBS increased (having fatter ideal-image), leading to less dissatisfaction (smaller CBS–IBS) with their body size. These results suggest that one’s BI could change in a period as short as 2 months, possibly because of being surrounded by more obese people. The IBS change was positively associated with BMI change (increased by 0.4 ± 0.6 kg/m²), warranting further study on the role of BI in the spread of obesity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Black, J. L., & Macinko, J. (2010). The changing distribution and determinants of obesity in the neighborhoods of New York City, 2003–2007. American Journal of Epidemiology, 171(7), 765–775.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Christakis, N. A., & Fowler, J. H. (2007). The spread of obesity in a large social network over 32 years. New England Journal of Medicine, 357(4), 370–379.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Doll, M., Ball, G. D., & Willows, N. D. (2004). Rating figures used for body image assessment varies depending on the method of figure presentation. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 35(1), 109–114.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Duncan, J. S., Duncan, E. K., & Schofield, G. (2011). Associations between weight perceptions, weight control and body fatness in a multiethnic sample of adolescent girls. Public Health Nutrition, 14(1), 93–100.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Hendley, Y., Zhao, L., Coverson, D. L., Dzietham, R. D., Morris, A., & Quyyumi, A. A. (2011). Differences in weight perception among whites and blacks. Journal of Women’s Health, 20(12), 1805–1811.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. (2009). Summary 1998–2008. http://www.mhlw.go.jp/houdou/2009/11/dl/h1109-1e.pdf.

  7. Kuk, J. L., Andern, C. I., Church, T. S., Hebert, J. R., Sui, X., & Blair, S. N. (2009). Ideal weight and weight satisfaction: association with health practices. American Journal of Epidemiology, 170(4), 456–463.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Maximova, K., McGrath, J. J., Barnett, T., O’Loughlin, J., Paradis, G., & Lambert, M. (2008). Do you see what I see? Weight status misperception and exposure to obesity among children and adolescents. International Journal of Obesity, 32(6), 1008–1015.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. OECD Health at a glance. (2009). Overweight and obesity among adults. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/health_glance-2009-en.

  10. Pritchard, J. E., Nowson, C. A., & Wark, J. D. (1997). A worksite program for overweight middle-aged men achieves lesser weight loss with exercise than with dietary change. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 97(1), 37–42.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wardle, J., Haase, A. M., & Steptoe, A. (2006). Body image and weight control in young adults: international comparisons in university students from 22 countries. International Journal of Obesity, 30(4), 644–651.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Williamson, D. A., Womble, L. G., Zucker, N. L., et al. (2000). Body image assessment for obesity (BIA-O): development of a new procedure. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 24(10), 1326–1332.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Yaemsiri, S., Slining, M. M., & Agarwal, S. K. (2011). Perceived weight status, overweight diagnosis, and weight control among US adults: the NHANES 2003–2008 Study. International Journal of Obesity, 35(8), 1063–1070.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Yager, Z., & O’Dea, J. A. (2008). Prevention programs for body image and eating disorders on University campuses: a review of large, controlled interventions. Health Promotion International, 23(2), 173–189.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by The University of Tokyo. Rinako Bagrowicz was supported by the JSPS Institutional Program for Young Researcher Overseas Visits and the JSPS International Training Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan

    Rinako Bagrowicz, Chiho Watanabe & Masahiro Umezaki

Authors
  1. Rinako Bagrowicz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chiho Watanabe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Masahiro Umezaki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rinako Bagrowicz.

Additional information

The entire protocol of this study was reviewed and approved by the Ethical Committee of The University of Tokyo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bagrowicz, R., Watanabe, C. & Umezaki, M. Is Obesity Contagious by Way of Body Image? A Study on Japanese Female Students in the United States. J Community Health 38, 834–837 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-013-9686-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-013-9686-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation