Dieting practices, weight perceptions, and body composition: A comparison of normal weight, overweight, and obese college females

Table 1 Mean body composition, weight perceptions, and physical activity among normal weight, overweight, and obese female college students.

	Weight classification
	Normal weight	Overweight	Obese
	n = 113	n = 35	n = 21
Variable	M ± SD	M ± SD	M ± SD
Body composition
Weight (pounds)	130^a ± 13	160^b ± 18	213^c ± 39
BMI (kg/m²)	21.9^a ± 1.8	27.3^b ± 1.3	35.3^c ± 5.7
Body fat (%)	28^a ± 4	33^b ± 4	38^c ± 3
Waist-to-hip ratio	0.72^a ± 0.01	0.76^b ± 0.05	0.83^c ± 0.07
Weight perceptions
Perceived healthy weight (pounds)	123^a ± 10	138^b ± 17	164^c ± 26
Perceived attractive weight (pounds)	122^a ± 11	136^b ± 17	158^c ± 29
Perceived natural weight (pounds)	138^a ± 18	169^b ± 25	216^c ± 42
Perceived healthy weight (% of current)	95^a ± 7	87^b ± 6	77^c ± 6
Perceived attractive weight (% of current)	94^a ± 7	85^b ± 6	74^c ± 8
Perceived natural weight (% of current)	106 ± 9	106 ± 10	102 ± 2
Physical activity	4.1 ± 2.5	3.8 ± 2.5	3.5 ± 2.5

Note: Means in the same row having letters that do not share subscripts differ at p < .01 in the Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference test. The higher the physical activity score, the greater intensity and amount of reported exercise over the past 30 days using a scoring system of 0 (do not participate regularly in planned exercise) to 7 (spend over 3 hours weekly in heavy exercise).

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