Does poor self-image about your body and weight actually make you overweight? It seems that your self-image does indeed influence that.
Research
Normal-weight teens who consider themselves overweight are more likely to be overweight as adults. This was revealed in a study conducted by a Norwegian university. From 1995 to 1997, 1,196 healthy-weight teens were followed. When the participants were between 24 and 30 years old, they were examined again; half were still a normal weight, the other half were overweight.
Striking
Of the women who were overweight, 59 percent already thought they were too fat. When the waist circumference was used as a measurement method, it turned out that 78 percent of the people who thought this had become overweight.
How is that possible?
It seems that your self-image influences your weight. How this works exactly is very complicated. It may be related to the stress teens experience when they are convinced they are overweight. Furthermore, teens who are overweight may skip meals, which can also have an adverse effect on weight.
