Satisfação com o peso corporal de participantes do Programa Academia da Saúde em uma metrópole brasileira

Abstract

The objective of this study was to verify the association between sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and nutritional status with body weight satisfaction among participants of the Health Academy Program (PAS) in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study that derives from a community-based randomized controlled trial conducted on a representative sample of PAS units in Belo Horizonte-MG. It investigated sociodemographic variables, self-reported morbidity, anthropometric measurements, and body satisfaction. Body satisfaction was assessed through the question, "Are you satisfied with your current weight?" The STATA software was used for analysis, adopting a significance level of 5.0%, applying the Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney tests, along with the analysis of standardized residuals. Of the total participants (N=3,413), 44% were satisfied with their body image. The median age of the group was 58 years (P25=49; P75=65), with 88.1% of the participants being female. Participants who were satisfied with their weight had a higher median age compared to those who were dissatisfied (60 vs. 56 years; p<0.001), and the majority were women (90.7% vs. 9.3%, p<0.001). Differences (p<0.05) were also observed between satisfied and dissatisfied individuals regarding marital status, education, and occupation. Additionally, the median waist circumference was greater among individuals who reported satisfaction with their body weight than their counterparts (81.5 cm vs. 90 cm, p<0.05). Women and younger individuals, those with professional occupations, higher education levels, and specific body measurements, tend to report greater dissatisfaction with their weight. Additionally, weight dissatisfaction was found to be associated with a more negative perception of health and quality of life. On the other hand, individuals with diabetes mellitus showed a higher prevalence of dissatisfaction with their weight.