Body Size Perceptions Associated with Body Mass Index and Weight Loss Intentions Among Two Immigrant Populations
Journal of Radical and Ethnic Health Disparities Jun 2025
RHCP surveyed over 1,200 Hispanic and Somali immigrant adults in Southeast Minnesota to better understand how people perceive their own body size and weight, and how those perceptions relate to their intentions to lose weight. While many participants had a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight or obese range, fewer identified themselves as such. However, when asked to choose images that represented their body size, responses were more closely aligned with actual BMI. This suggests that visual tools may be more accurate than verbal categories for self-assessment. Among Hispanic participants, those who saw themselves as overweight or had a larger gap between their perceived and ideal body size were more likely to say they intended to lose weight.
For Somali participants, the strongest link to weight loss intentions was body image discrepancy—how much heavier they saw themselves compared to their ideal. Actual BMI alone didn’t predict whether someone wanted to lose weight. These findings highlight the importance of understanding cultural and psychological factors in health behavior. They also suggest that using visual scales and exploring body image may be more effective than relying on BMI or verbal self-assessments when designing health interventions for immigrant communities.