Colleen McKee1, Lisa Long2, Linda H Southward2, Ben Walker2, John McCown2. 1. Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University. Electronic address: colleen.mckee@ssrc.msstate.edu. 2. Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University.
Abstract
UNLABELLED: To investigate the accuracy of parental perceptions of their child's weight status and also the relationship between parental perceptions and the prevalence of childhood obesity in Mississippi. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from multi-year surveys (2009-2012) with random samples of public school parents (N=14,808). Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were conducted with quantitative data to examine the relationship between parental perception and childhood obesity. RESULTS: More than 2 out of 5 parents misperceived the weight status of their child (k-12). The greatest difference occurred with kindergartners, 83.9% of parents categorized them as "healthy", when only 28.3% actually were. Parents who misperceived their child's weight were almost 12 times more likely of having an obese child. CONCLUSIONS: Only half of the children in this study had a healthy weight (54.5%). Health care providers, nutritionists, social workers, teachers, and school health councils could play an important role in educating parents and children on how to recognize an unhealthy weight. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The strongest predictor of childhood obesity was parental misperception of their child's weight status.
UNLABELLED: To investigate the accuracy of parental perceptions of their child's weight status and also the relationship between parental perceptions and the prevalence of childhood obesity in Mississippi. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from multi-year surveys (2009-2012) with random samples of public school parents (N=14,808). Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were conducted with quantitative data to examine the relationship between parental perception and childhood obesity. RESULTS: More than 2 out of 5 parents misperceived the weight status of their child (k-12). The greatest difference occurred with kindergartners, 83.9% of parents categorized them as "healthy", when only 28.3% actually were. Parents who misperceived their child's weight were almost 12 times more likely of having an obesechild. CONCLUSIONS: Only half of the children in this study had a healthy weight (54.5%). Health care providers, nutritionists, social workers, teachers, and school health councils could play an important role in educating parents and children on how to recognize an unhealthy weight. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The strongest predictor of childhood obesity was parental misperception of their child's weight status.
Authors: Nita Vangeepuram; Michelle A Ramos; Kezhen Fei; Ashley M Fox; Carol R Horowitz; Lawrence C Kleinman; Maida P Galvez Journal: Matern Child Health J Date: 2016-07
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