Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship among pereption of obesity, experience of weight control control and satisfaction with body image in adolescence. The subjects were 221 high school students(91 boys, 130 grils), aged 16.7 years living in a rural area. To determine the perception of obesity, knowledge about obesity, belidfs about obese people, and attitudes towards obese people were measured. The results were as follows: There was high correlation between beliefs about obese people and attitudes toward obese people. When the perception of obesity was compared by sex, girls had significantly more accurate knowledge, stronger beliefs that obesity couldn't be controlled by oneself, the higher the eating disturbance score was. It also appeared that BMI was positively correlated with the positive attitude towards obese people.

• Keywords: knowledge; belief; attitude; obesity; body image; eating disturbance