caa a22 4500 60615308X CHVBK 20210128100552.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150101xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11121-014-0458-2 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11121-014-0458-2 Misperception of Peer Weight Norms and Its Association with Overweight and Underweight Status Among Adolescents [Elektronische Daten] [Jessica Perkins, H. Wesley Perkins, David Craig] Previous research has revealed pervasive misperceptions of peer norms for a variety of behaviors among adolescents such as alcohol use, smoking, and bullying and that these misperceptions are predictors of personal behavior. Similarly, misperception of peer weight norms may be a pervasive and important risk factor for adolescent weight status. Thus, the comparative association of actual and perceived peer weight norms is examined in relation to personal weight status. Secondary school students in 40 middle and high schools (n = 40,328) were surveyed about their perceptions of the peer weight norm for same gender and grade within their school. Perceived norms were compared to aggregate self-reports of weight for these same groups. Overestimation of peer weight norms by more than 5% occurred among 26% of males and 20% of females (by 22 and 16lb on average, respectively). Underestimation occurred among 38% of males as well as females (by 16 and 13lb on average, respectively). Personal overweight status based on body mass index (BMI) was much more prevalent among respondents who overestimated peer weight norms as was personal underweight status among respondents who underestimated norms. Perception of the peer norm was the strongest predictor of personal BMI among all personal and school variables examined for both male and female students. Thus, reducing misperceived weight norms should be given more attention as a potential avenue for preventing obesity and eating disorders. Society for Prevention Research, 2014 Perceived norms nationallicence Social norms nationallicence Misperceptions nationallicence BMI nationallicence Adolescents nationallicence School nationallicence Perkins Jessica Department of Health Policy, Harvard University, 14 Story St. 4th Floor, 02138, Cambridge, MA, USA aut Wesley Perkins H. Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 14456, Geneva, NY, USA aut Craig David Department of Chemistry, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 14456, Geneva, NY, USA aut Prevention Science Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 16/1(2015-01-01), 70-79 1389-4986 16:1<70 2015 16 11121 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-014-0458-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-014-0458-2 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Perkins Jessica Department of Health Policy, Harvard University, 14 Story St. 4th Floor, 02138, Cambridge, MA, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Wesley Perkins H. Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 14456, Geneva, NY, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Craig David Department of Chemistry, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 14456, Geneva, NY, USA aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Prevention Science Springer US; http://www.springer-ny.com 16/1(2015-01-01), 70-79 1389-4986 16:1<70 2015 16 11121