College-Level Research Summary on Obesity in the World

Body Image and Weight Control in Young Adults: International Comparisons in University Students From 22 Countries is another research study I encountered. This research was undertaken to find the associations between body mass index, body perceptions, and weight loss attempts of male and female university students in twenty-two countries. The research was taken by taking data, using standardized methods. The findings are that people who are overweight, regardless of country, realize that they are overweight for the most part. However, women felt more overweight than men on average, and a higher proportion of them do try to lose weight. In the Asian countries surveyed, both male and female students surveyed show that they are trying to lose weight more so than other places in the world. Furthermore, perceptions of people being overweight was also higher in Asian countries, but body mass indexes were the lowest in Asian countries as well.

This study is very important to my research question, because it proves there are differences in behavior that distinguishes Asia from other parts of the world in terms of obesity perception, and treatment. According to the study, Asian university students weighted less, but tried to lose weight more at higher levels. This shows plain proof that there is something that, while the study does not identify, exists within Asian countries that helps keep the collective weight at a lower level than other countries. The study is successful in its objective of finding out about worldwide University students' attitudes about obesity and weight loss, and the findings can be perceived as accurate because the findings were collected in a standardized manner. The article now leaves open the new question of what exactly is it that makes Asian university students more apt to describe lower body mass indexes to be obese, and more eager to lose weight.

Change in Diet and Body Mass Index in Taiwanese Women with Length of Residence in Australia is a paper I encountered. This research was undertaken to see whether or not there were differences in caloric intake and anthropomorphic measurements between Taiwanese women in Taiwan, and Taiwanese women who resided in Australia. A cross-sectional study was undertaken for this research. They found out that while there was not much of a difference in body mass index and total body fat percentage, there was a slight difference in waist to hip circumference. Women in Australia had a higher waist circumference. The evidence presented in the study is convincing to me, because I have also seen that women in Asia are thinner than their Western counterparts. This study does raise the new question of: exactly why is there a slight physical difference between these two groups of women? Is it the attitudes in Western society, the lifestyles, or something else?

This article is significant to my study, because it shows that it is possible that there is also a difference between Westernized Taiwanese, and native Taiwanese. This helps me note the differences and similarities in body size between people of the same genetic background who live in different areas. This study helps with my research information-gathering, because it does support the fact that there is at least a slight effect that living in Western society has on obesity, even with the genetic factor added in.