Body Image Does Not Predict Caloric Estimation Accuracy

Abstract

This study characterized the accuracy of estimating calories of prepared, healthy meals, with the specific hypothesis that individuals with greater body dissatisfaction will overestimate calorie content. Ninety-eight individuals estimated the number of calories in 4 separate healthy meals. Differences in the bias of caloric estimation were determined in relation to sex, body mass index, body fat percentage, and body image dissatisfaction. Subjects, regardless of sex, weight status, and body image, tended to overestimate the number of calories in prepared, healthy meals. Quantifying portion size makes the task of caloric estimation in prepared meals more difficult and should be addressed to enhance accuracy.