Faculty Sponsor: Maryam Gooyabadi
Live Poster Session: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/92309626995
Ethan Dangel
Ethan is a sophomore at Wesleyan studying Economics and Data Science. He is a member of Wesleyan’s Track and Field team for whom he throws the discus and hammer. Ethan is a long time fitness enthusiast which is what drove him to chose a topic related to fitness.
Abstract: Obesity and mental health are often linked, but recent research suggests that subjective weight perception may be a more significant driver of psychological distress than objective body mass. This study examines data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES), analyzing a national sample of approximately 7,000 students to investigate the relationship between weight misperception and mental health risk. Risk was measured using indicators of psychological distress reported over a twelve month period and analyzed alongside demographic controls. The results revealed a significant association indicating that students who over-estimate their weight status are 1.86 times more likely to be at high mental health risk than those with accurate perceptions. Additionally, the model identified female biological sex as a dominant predictor, with this factor increasing the odds of a high mental health risk by approximately 2.7 times. These findings suggest that the psychological perception of weight and societal weight stigma are critical components in understanding adolescent mental health.
QAC201-Final-Poster