Despite popular belief about women's weight concerns, young
women commonly fail to recognize recent gain of as many as 11
pounds putting them at risk for cardiovascular disease and other
obesity-related conditions. Self-perception of weight gain also
appears to be significantly influenced by race, ethnicity and
contraceptive methods. In a study published online and in the
March issue of the Journal of Women's Health, University of
Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) researchers found that a significant
number of women evaluated at six-month intervals did not
recognize recent gains in weight. Overall, nearly one-third and
one-quarter of women did not recognize gains of approximately
4.5 and 8.8 pounds during a six month interval, respectively.
However, black women and DMPA users (depot medroxyprogesterone
acetate, commonly known as the birth control shot) were more
likely to recognize weight gain than their counterparts. This is
believed to be the first study to explore the accuracy of self-
perception of recent weight