Growing into Perception: Pubertal Stages and the Accuracy of Body Size Estimation

Puberty is a significant period of physical, psychological, and social transformation. During this phase, rapid changes in body size, shape, and composition occur, largely regulated by endocrine factors, and are accompanied by shifts in body perception. Body image, a multidimensional construct influenced by biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors, plays a crucial role in adolescent health and development. The perception of body size, a key aspect of body image, has been found to change during adolescence, influenced by factors such as weight gain, personal relationships, and media exposure. While much of the existing literature on adolescent body image focuses on cognitive, emotional, and attitudinal perceptions, there is limited research on the dimensional aspect of body image, particularly in relation to puberty-related somatic transformations. This study aimed to assess the effect of puberty-related somatic changes on adolescents body size estimation across different stages of sexual maturation. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 100 pubescent participants, aged 9 to 15 years for males and 9 to 13 years for females, who were assessed using the Image Marking Procedure (IMP) to estimate body size perception. Our data suggest that adolescents at an early stage of sexual maturation, have an overestimated perception of their body size and this distortion seems to get closer to adequate as sexual maturity develops. The general perception of adolescents body size is overestimated in girls and adequate in boys. This research underscores the evolving nature of body size perception during puberty and its potential implications for adolescent body image. HighlightsO_LIPuberty changes affect adolescents body size perception across maturation stages. C_LIO_LIEarly pubertal stages are associated with body size overestimation, which tends towards accuracy with advancing sexual maturation C_LIO_LIOverall body size perception is overestimated in girls and adequate in boys. C_LI