Secular trends in body weight perception among Norwegian adolescents: a 28-year cross-sectional analysis (1994–2022)

Increased exposure to social media and societal pressures to conform to idealized body standards may have amplified feelings of inadequacy among youth, notably in body weight perception. This study describes secular trends in body weight perception in Norwegian adolescents from 1994 to 2022, both before and during a period of technologically transformative changes proposed to influence body weight perception. To investigate trends in body weight perception, data across eight survey years from the Norwegian part of the repeated cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study were used. Body weight perception was categorised as "Too thin", "About right", and "Too fat" among 11-, 13-, 15-, and 16-year-olds. The analyses showed stability in body weight perception across the 28-year period, with some gender and age differences observed. Small fluctuations were noted, most pronounced in the oldest age groups. The only significant change observed from 1994 to 2022, was an increase in the proportion of 16-year-old girls perceiving their body as "About right". Between 2018 and 2022, there was an increase in the proportion of 11-year-old girls perceiving their body as "Too fat". Stability in body weight perception was observed from 1994 to 2022, despite the assumed impact of certain technologically transformative changes, such as social media. However, the study highlights a concerning rise in 11-year-olds perceiving their bodies as "Too fat" between 2018 and 2022, underlining the continued need for regular monitoring of body weight perception in the adolescent population.