Maternal perception of excess weight in children: A survey conducted by paediatricians in the province of Milan

Genovesi, Simonetta; Giussani, Macro; Faini, Andrea; Vigorita, Federico; Pieruzzi, Federico; Strepparava, M; Stella, Andréa; Valsecchi, Maria Grazia

doi:10.1080/08035250510028894

Cited by 73 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 20 publications

(13 reference statements)

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“…[4][5][6][7][8][9] Misclassification of overweight children was specifically associated with child male gender, dissatisfaction, dieting and higher maternal BMI. The findings that essentially 40% of mothers failed to correctly classify their overweight child as 'overweight' can be explained in at least three possible ways.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several recent studies have found that parents underestimate the weight status of their overweight or obese child [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] in both population and clinical research settings. Parents weight status estimation is worse for younger rather than older children 9 and possibly for mothers with poorer educational attainment, 4 but is more accurate for daughters rather than for sons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There was also a trend for underestimation seen more often in mothers who themselves were heavier. 9,13,14 While these studies have consistently reported that parents do not adequately acknowledge their child's weight status, very little is known about the factors influencing parental misclassifications of a child's weight status. Research is particularly needed to better understand the factors predicting parental misclassifications of their child's overweight or obesity status.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictors of maternal misclassifications of their offspring's weight status: a longitudinal study

et al. 2007

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Background: Very little is known about the factors influencing parental misclassifications of a child's weight status. The aim of this study is to examine the predictors of maternal misclassifications of their adolescent offspring's weight status. Methods: A mother-child linked analysis was carried out using 14-year follow-up data from a population-based prospective birth cohort of 2650 children (52% males) who were participants in the Mater-University Study of Pregnancy in Brisbane (Australia) in 1981. Offspring's observed height and weight and maternal perception of offspring weight were reported when they were 14 years old and predictors were prospectively recorded either at first clinical visit of mothers or at 5 or 14 years follow-up. Maternal misclassifications were defined combining observed body mass index (BMI) categories and maternal perceptions of their offspring's weight status. Results: We found that maternal misclassification of child's weight status was common and included misclassifications both to higher and lower weight categories. Forty percent of mothers of overweight children misclassified their child as normal or underweight, more so in males than females. Fifteen percent of mothers of normal weight children misclassified their child as underweight, again more so in males than females. The main independent predictors of maternal misclassifications of child weight status were gender, child dissatisfaction with appearance, shape, size and weight, dieting to lose weight, general health status, maternal BMI and family meals. Gender, child dissatisfaction, dieting and maternal overweight were especially associated with misclassifications of overweight children. Conclusions: This study identified a number of maternal, child and family factors associated with maternal misclassifications of child weight status. Although relevant for clinical practice, further study is needed, however, to evaluate the benefits and harms of promoting increasing parental and child awareness of the child's weight status at a population level.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictors of maternal misclassifications of their offspring's weight status: a longitudinal study

et al. 2007

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“…Active participation in such strategies, however, depends partly on the ability of parents to recognize when their child is overweight. Several studies have explored parents' perception of their child's weight status (5,(23)(24)(25) . Questionnaires are often used to record their responses by means of selecting a word response to a question or by providing images of different body shapes as a comparator (2,3,5,26) .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The parents' responses are then compared with their child's actual weight status which is categorized as thin, normal, overweight or obese, usually by BMI. In the past, large discrepancies have been noted between perception and measured overweight status, with far fewer parents classifying their child as overweight or obese compared with what was actually measured (23,25,27,28) . The aim of the present analysis was to investigate which anthropometric WHtR, waist-to-height ratio.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utility of the waist-to-height ratio as an instrument to measure parental perception of body weight in children and its use in a population-based survey of children

Nambiar

Truby

Hughes

et al. 2012

Public Health Nutr.

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ObjectiveTo investigate which anthropometric measure of overweight status, BMI or waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), is most closely associated with parents’ perception of their child's overweight status.DesignThe sensitivity and specificity of parental perception against child-specific BMI and WHtR definitions of overweight were tested.SettingPrimary schools in Queensland, Australia.SubjectsBoys and girls aged 9·00–11·99 years (n 1431).ResultsOf the 138 boys and 202 girls who were classified as overweight according to BMI, only 27·5 % (boys) and 22·7 % (girls) were also perceived as overweight by their parents. Using WHtR, 206 boys and 333 girls were classified as overweight, of whom only 21·9 % and 13·8 %, respectively, were perceived as overweight. Perception of overweight was underestimated in approximately 15 % of boys and 21 % of girls when compared with BMI. Underestimation was higher when compared with WHtR: 25 % (boys) and 39 % (girls). Overweight prevalence was significantly lower according to perception than according to BMI or WHtR. Mother's education level was significantly associated with accurate perception of overweight status (P < 0·001).ConclusionsThe sensitivity of parental perception of child overweight was higher when BMI was used. However, emphasis needs to be placed on using WHtR as an actual measure of overweight because high central adiposity is associated with increased risk of CVD. The combined use of WHtR, body-shape images rather than word responses regarding perception and public health messages that educate parents and children about body shape and associated health risks may be the best combination in improving parents’ perception of their child's overweight status.

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Does Love Really Make Mothers Blind? A Large Transcontinental Study on Mothers' Awareness About Their Children's Weight

Gregori

Hochdorn

Azzolina

et al. 2018

Obesity

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Maternal perception of excess weight in children: A survey conducted by paediatricians in the province of Milan

Abstract: A better understanding of how mothers perceive the problem of excess weight in their children is relevant to the success of preventive interventions in childhood obesity.

Cited by 73 publications

References 20 publications

Predictors of maternal misclassifications of their offspring's weight status: a longitudinal study

Predictors of maternal misclassifications of their offspring's weight status: a longitudinal study

Utility of the waist-to-height ratio as an instrument to measure parental perception of body weight in children and its use in a population-based survey of children

Does Love Really Make Mothers Blind? A Large Transcontinental Study on Mothers' Awareness About Their Children's Weight

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