Obese people with dysmorphia hide body behind WhatsApp profile pictures: Study

Posted on:
Key Points

Many people who are living with obesity, suffer from dysmorphic disorder -- a condition in which a person has a distorted image of their body -- and conceal their body in their WhatsApp profile pictures, according to a study on Tuesday...

"This study suggests that something as simple as a WhatsApp profile picture could give doctors a valuable insight into whether someone living with obesity has body dysmorphia," said lead Antonella Franceschelli, of Unicamillus International Medical University, in Italy...

In a study, involving 59 obese patients (49 females, 10 males, mean age 53 years, mean BMI 32 kg/m2), the team provided clear evidence of body dysmorphia, with 90 per cent of the men and 86 per cent of the women using profile pictures that didn't represent their physical reality...

"Profile pictures of pets, family members, landscapes, flowers and cartoon characters may indicate the individual has body dysmorphic disorder," Franceschelli said...

"People with body dysmorphic disorder can be particularly sensitive to these influences, constantly comparing themselves to idealised images and feeling inadequate in comparison," Franceschelli said...

You might be interested in

Understanding the link between obesity and heatstroke

27, Apr, 23

Some symptoms of heatstroke include high body temperature, rapid heartbeat, headache, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness.

Drug used to treat diabetes could help obese people lose weight: Study

27, Oct, 23

The diabetes drug Mounjaro has helped people with obesity to lose at least a quarter of their body weight, or about 60 pounds on average when combined with intensive diet and exercise, as per a new study.