健康英语新闻:Obese women, children underestimate their weight: study

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhuanet) -- A new study has found that many overweight women and children often underestimate how heavy they are, according to media reports Wednesday.

The study, conducted by researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, surveyed 111 women with the average age of 39 and 111 children aged between 7 and 13.

Among the participants, about 66 percent of the women and 39 percent of the kids were overweight or obese.

They were shown images of different body silhouettes representing a range of weights, including underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese and extremely obese.

The research findings showed that 82 percent of obese women and 43 percent of overweight women underestimated their weight, while only 13 percent of normal weight women did so.

As to the children group, about 86 percent overweight or obese kids low-balled their weight.

Lead author Dr. Nicole Dumas said, "The implications of this is the overwhelming impact of obesity on children who are growing up in communities where obesity and overweight is the norm rather than the exception." 

She added, "Strategies to overcome the obesity epidemic will need to address this barrier to weight loss."