We Tell Others we are Taller and Thinner Than we Really Are — Dave’s Diary

Ever cringe when someone asks to see your ID because you don’t like the picture?  How about the stats?  Ever alter them to reflect a more acceptable you?  When we are asked to reveal our height and weight, most of us tell a bald lie

These fabrications are not limited to one gender or ethnic group. Almost all of us tell others we are slightly taller and weigh slightly less than we really do, according to LiveScience.com.

Led by an associate professor at the University of Utah, the team analyzed data from a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which used both self-reported and measured height, weight and body mass index grouped by gender and ethnicity.

Men in all ethnic groups overestimate their height by a half-inch, on average. While black men slightly overestimate their weight, all other ethnic groups of men underestimate how much they weigh.

Women in all ethnic groups overestimate their height by a third of an inch, on average. While all women underestimate their weight, black women shave off the most pounds -- on average, 3.8 pounds.

The truth may set us free but we feel we are more captivating when we fudge a little!