Gender differences in the psychological correlates of body-weight in young adults

This study investigated gender differences in the correlates of actual and perceived body weight in a sample of young adults, as opposed to the college students usually sampled. Although women were significantly less overweight than men on an objective index of weight (the Body Mass Index), they perceived themselves to be significantly more overweight. The extent to which women perceived themselves as overweight was correlated negatively with self-esteem, and positively with negative affect including depressed mood, and minor psychiatric symptomology. In contrast, there was no relationship between body-weight perception and psychological well-being for the men. It was concluded that a woman's body weight is much more central to her self-image than is a man's.