Perceived Weight and Health Behavior Characteristics Normal and Over-weight Middle-aged Women

Jo, Hyun Sook

Abstract

The objective of this study was to clarify whether there are any differences between normal and over-weight middle-aged(40~59yrs)women in their perceived weight, health status, health conception and health behavior choices. The sample consisted of 39 normal weight and 55 over-weight (11% above on the Body Index Scale) women who live in Juan, Inchon. The Participants were randomly selected in each weight group considering socio-demographic factors. The findings from this study are summarized below. 1) Among the 55 overweight middle-aged women, 16 were above 20% on the Body Index Scale and 14 were above 30%. Twenty-fivc(45.5%) of the overweight group and 12(30.8%) of the normal weight group had one disease, and there were 12(21.8%) in the overweight group and 8(20.5%) in the normal weight group where one of the family members had a disease, but these differences were not statistically significant. The average monthly family income for the overweight group was won 1,880,000 compared to won 2,140,000 for the normal weight group, but this difference was also not significant. The age range for the whole group was between 40 and 59(mean=46.8 for total, 48.6 for overweight and 45.7 for normal weight group). Again no significant difference found. Occupations were housemaker 53(56.4%), private business(13.8%), salarywoman(9.6%), and teacher(2.1%). Thirty housemaker(54.5%) from the overweight group and 23(59%) from the normal group did not constitute a statistically siganificant different. For the educational status, 34(61.8%) of the overweight women and 33(84.6%)of the normal weight group finifished high school or more educational courses, but there was no significant statistical difference. Elven(20.0%) of the overweight women and 5(12. 8%) of the normal weight group were single, but again no significant statistical difference was found. 2) A test for difference in health characterisics between two weight groups indicated that two groups do not show statistical differences in their perceived health status, health conception or health behavior choice. That is, the overweight group, also perceive their health status as good as the normal group, and regard 'Health' as a state that enables them to carry out social roles and functions rather than as the traditional concept of health as no disease or no symtoms. Moreover, the overweight group selected their health behaviors not for the prevention of diseases or maintenance of health but for promotion of health. To determine if no statistical difference might be related to the overweight group's failure of perceive themselves as overweight, the perceived and objective overweight status were compared by the chi-square analysis, and no difference was found(X2=49.37, df=l, p=.000). However, 7(17.9%) of the normal group perceived themselves as being overweighted and 7(12.7%) of the overweight group thought they were of normal weight. Even though the overweight group employed in this study perceived themselves as being overweight, they regarded themselves as healthy as those in the normal weight group. It was shown that there was no statistical difference between two groups in health conception, and that they chose health behaviors to promote health status. 3) Perceived health conception was shown to be significantly related to health behavior choice (r= .28, p=.006 for whole group: r=.33, p=.014 for overweight group: and r=.12, p=.463 for normal group). There was an indication that the more complicated the perceived health conception was, the more the trend of health behavior choice to promote health. This was especially true for the overweight group. But, the perceived health status did not related to health behavior choice statistically(r=.13, p=.202), and it was thought that reasons for selecting health behaviors were not related to their health status. That is, the overweight group perceive themselves as healthy as the normal weight group or thought that overweight itself does not incur any risk on their health. Data from two groups were combined and analyzed with multiple regression methodology, because the relationship pattern of the two groups was similar. The analysis showed that health behavior has a significant relationship with age and the perceived health conception(r2=. 1517, p=.05, F=8.133). It means they come to health behavior along with their health conception and their age rather than their weights, perceived weight, health status or other social characteristics. This study was intended to understand how overweight middle-aged women perceive 'weight' and 'health', and how they meet their health related needs in comparison with normal weight middle-aged women. Other factors related to the health behavior in overweight middle-aged woman need to be determined through further descriptive studies outlined in the following recommendations, a) Reseach with the study area expanded. b) Reseach with grouping more detailed: much more overweight and underweight group c) Reseach on restricted relationship between overweight and age or profession. d) Reseach on what overweight middle-aged women do to reduce their weight and what factors motivate them to do it.