Triggermuscle: Exploring Weight Perception for Virtual Reality Through Adaptive Trigger Resistance in a Haptic VR Controller

It is challenging to provide users with a haptic weight sensation of virtual objects in VR since current consumer VR controllers and software-based approaches such as pseudo-haptics cannot render appropriate haptic stimuli. To overcome these limitations, we developed a haptic VR controller named Triggermuscle that adjusts its trigger resistance according to the weight of a virtual object. Therefore, users need to adapt their index finger force to grab objects of different virtual weights. Dynamic and continuous adjustment is enabled by a spring mechanism inside the casing of an HTC Vive controller. In two user studies, we explored the effect on weight perception and found large differences between participants for sensing change in trigger resistance and thus for discriminating virtual weights. The variations were easily distinguished and associated with weight by some participants while others did not notice them at all. We discuss possible limitations, confounding factors, how to overcome them in future research and the pros and cons of this novel technology.

Maternal perception of child weight and concern about child overweight mediates the relationship between child weight and feeding practices

Objective: To examine the mediating effects of maternal perception of child weight (weight perception) and concern about overweight (weight concern) on the paths between child weight and maternal feeding practices. Setting: Pudong District, Shanghai, China. Participants: A convenience sample of 1164 mothers who were primary caregivers of preschool children. Results: Sixty percent of the mothers perceived their overweight/obese children as normal weight or even underweight. The disagreement between actual child weight and maternal weight perception was statistically significant (Kappa = 0.212, P < 0.001). Structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that weight perception fully mediated the relationship between child BMI Z-scores and pressure to eat. Weight concern fully mediated the relationships between child BMI Z-scores and the other three feeding practices. The serial mediating effects of weight perception and concern were statistically significant for the paths between child BMI Z-score and monitoring (β = 0.035, P < 0.001), restriction (β = 0.022, P < 0.001), and food as a reward (β = -0.017, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Child weight may influence maternal feeding practices through weight perception and concern. Thus, interventions are needed to increase the accuracy of weight perception, which may influence several maternal feeding practices and thereby contribute to child health.

Sex-Related Difference in the Association Between Child Neglect and the Accuracy of Body Weight Perception Among Chinese Primary Schoolchildren

Introduction: Body weight perception (BWP) directly determines weight management behaviors. Although child neglect is a well-established risk factor for managing body weight, little is known about its association with the accuracy of BWP. This study aimed to assess the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between child neglect and BWP accuracy in primary schoolchildren, and explore how these differ based on the sex of the child.Methods: The sample included 1,063 primary schoolchildren (557 boys and 506 girls, aged 8–10 years) from a two-wave observational study between 2018 and 2019 in Wuhan, China. Child neglect and BWP were investigated using self-administered questionnaires. The accuracy of BWP was defined by comparing the BWP and actual body weight, and it was categorized into three groups—consistent, underestimated, and overestimated. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted with fitting child neglect as the independent variable and the accuracy of BWP as the dependent variable.Results: The prevalence of weight misperception was ~44% at baseline (underestimation 40%; overestimation 4%) in Chinese primary schoolchildren. In the cross-sectional analysis, children with a higher level of neglect were more likely to misperceive their body weight. Moreover, there was an apparent sex-related difference that boys who experienced a higher level of neglect significantly reported more underestimation, while girls reported more overestimation. There was no significant longitudinal association between child neglect and the change in BWP accuracy.Conclusions: This study revealed that a higher level of neglect was significantly associated with underestimated BWP in boys and overestimated BWP in girls. The mechanisms of sex-related difference and whether child neglect is involved in the change in BWP, merit further investigations.

Do the body weight perception and body mass index affect the participation of exercise?

Study aim: In this study, it is aimed to find out the exercise preferences based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) and Body Weight Perception (BWP), and to determine the consistency between BMI and BWP calculated via the self-reporting method. Material and methods: The study was conducted total of 297 volunteers, included 174 females (Mage = 27.19 ± 9.94 years) and 123 males (Mage = 26.08 ± 10.15 years), who were members of the physical activity center. The height and body weight values were obtained based on the self-reports. BWP was assessed by asking “how do you describe your weight?” As a statistical analysis, the Pearson chi-square test and Kappa statistics were used. Results: It was determined that overweight/obese female prefered most the strength exercises, whereas, overweight/obese men, according to both methods, preferred the different kind of exercises (p < 0.05). When the mutual consistency of the BWP and BMI methods was compared, “average” level conformity was found in female, and “weak” level conformity was found in male (Female: κ = 0.48; p < 0.000; Male: κ = 0.21; p < 0.001). Conclusion: It could be said that the type and application protocol of the exercise has been related with the frequency and duration of the exercise for both of the methods. Besides, it could be said that there was a higher consistency among female participants at the level of participating to the exercise and they had similar exercise preference, frequency and duration.

Is Calorie Labeling on Menus Related to Weight Disturbances among Females in Saudi Arabia?

Calorie labeling is a recent initiative from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) aimed to reduce the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by influencing people to make healthier food choices when they eat out and can also help people with weight disturbances to be more aware of their calorie intake. The present study aimed to investigate the association between the use of calorie labeling on restaurant menus, calorie intake, weight concern, body weight perception, and weight-control behaviors among young women. A quasi-experimental study was conducted among female students at a university restaurant. Participants were assigned to two groups: food menus with (experimental group) and without (control group) calorie labeling. The logistic regression model assessed the predictors of using calorie information separately for the experimental and control groups. Calorie labeling had a significant effect on reducing calorie consumption in the experimental group by 59 calories compared to the control group. The higher weight concern in the control group (OR = 0.410; 95% CI 0.230–0.730; P ≤ 0.002 ) was a predictor for using calorie information. The experimental group had higher weight concern (OR = 1.530; 95% CI 1.107–2.115; P ≤ 0.01 ) and body weight perception (OR = 4.230; 95% CI 1.084–6.517; P ≤ 0.038 ) and lower calorie intake (OR = 1.005; 95% CI 1.001–6.517; P ≤ 0.008 ) predictors for using calorie information. Weight-control behaviors did not significantly predict the use of calorie information in the groups. Calorie labeling might increase the weight disturbances among young females. More investigation is needed across various populations to gain a better understanding of calorie labeling as an effective food choice among people who are vulnerable to weight disturbances or already have weight disorders.

Examining human perception of weight during loaded standing and walking

While the psychophysics of weight perception may help assess the effort needed in manual material handling tasks, the perception of weight is subjective and not necessarily accurate. The purpose of this study was to examine weight perception during standing and walking. Participants (n=10) performed a series of weight comparison trials against a reference load while holding loads (standing) or carrying loads (walking). Polynomial logistic regression models were built to examine the effects of walking, box weight ratio, and reference weight level on the probability of detecting a weight difference. The results showed that weight ratio and reference weight level had statistically significant effects on the detection probability while walking did not have a significant effect. Findings from this study can help inform the design of subjective evaluation of job demands involving motion, and it can be further extended to the gradual increase in load of strengthening tasks in therapeutic exercises.

Body weight perception, knowledge, practices and associated factors regarding weight reduction: A cross sectional study of treatment seeking obese young adults in Sri Lanka

Background: Obesity and its’ comorbidities in young adults are emerging health concerns. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for developing cardiovascular diseases, type -2 diabetes, carcinomas, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, and gynecological complications. Young adulthood is considered the best time period to introduce weight control interventions as the established lifestyle behaviors may persist throughout life. Aims and Objectives: The present study assessed self-perception of body weight, knowledge and practices on obesity and weight reduction and their associated factors in a sample of treatment seeking obese young adults. Materials and Methods: Two-hundred and sixty-one obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg m-2) young (18-35 years) adults attending an out-patient nutrition clinic of a teaching hospital in Sri Lanka were studied. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect demographic data and information on body weight perception and, knowledge and practices on obesity and weight reduction. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured. Results: The mean (±SD) BMI of the participants was 29.0 (±3.6) kg m-2. Only 16.1% precisely perceived themselves as ‘obese’ and increased BMI was only significant predictor of accurate body weight perception (OR=1.23; 95% CI=1.07-1.47; p=0.003). Only 49.0% reported obesity as a disease and 46.0 % and 27.2% that it predisposes to stroke and carcinoma respectively. Although 86.2% have attempted weight reduction, only 33.8% sought professional advice. Diet control was the most common weight reduction strategy (73.1%) and among them 33.3% combined with exercises. One fourth (n=56) relied on green tea for weight reduction and meal skipping was reported in 52.9%. Conclusion: Significant body weight misperception was reported in lower BMI categories. The overall knowledge regarding obesity and weight reduction was satisfactory though not optimum. Diet control with or without physical exercises was the most popular method of weight reduction.

The Impact of Lifedoc Health’s Multidisciplinary Team Approach on Cardiometabolic Risk Profile in a Multiracial Cohort of Adults with Obesity: A 1-year Exploratory Pilot Study

Background: Information regarding the effect of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) to improve cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) in routine clinical settings is lacking. Methods: In this one-year retrospective chart review (2018), 598 adults (African American 59%, Hispanic 35%, Caucasian 6%) with a mean age of 43.8 ± 14.0 were included. Qualifying patients (≥ 1 CMRF of overweight/obesity, prediabetes/diabetes, or hypertension) who were treated under an MDT protocol were compared to patients who qualified for MDT but were treated solely by a primary care provider (PCP). The MDT protocol included endocrinology-oriented visits, lifestyle counseling, care coordination, and shared medical appointments. Linear and binary regression were performed to identify the factors associated with CMRF changes. Results: Patients treated by MDT had a greater reduction (β, 95% CI) in weight (- 4.29 kg, -7.62, -0.97), BMI (-1.43 kg/m2, -2.68, -0.18), SBP (- 2.18 mmHg, -4.09, -0.26), and DBP (- 1.97 mmHg, -3.34, -0.60). They also had 77% higher odds of reducing ≥ 5% their initial weight, 83% higher odds of reducing 1 point of BMI, and 59% higher odds of reducing ≥2 mmHg DBP. No association was observed for MDT intervention and A1c changes. Conclusion: Compared to PCP, MDT-protocolized intervention improves CMRF in a multi-ethnic adult cohort in a routine clinical setting. Patient’s activation to access the best care and overcoming barriers from patients (weight perception, social determinants increasing no-shows to visits), providers (obesity stigma, clinical inertia), and health system (time constraints and high paperwork imposed by payers) is a priority.