Factors that Influence Parental Misperception of Their Child’s Actual Weight Status in South Carolina

Abstract

Objectives Studies suggest that parents tend to misperceive their child's actual weight status and typically underestimate their child's weight. Since few studies examine the factors that influence parental misperception, this study aims to assess the influence of parent and child factors with parental misperception of their child's actual weight status who were either at their recommended weight or overweight/obese in South Carolina in 2013 and 2014. Methods Secondary data were obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the Children's Health Assessment Survey (CHAS) in 2013 and 2014 in SC. Parental misperception of child's actual weight status was measured by comparing parental perception to their child's actual weightstatus measured via BMI. Logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between parental and child factors with parental misperception of child's weight status. Results In the adjusted multivariate analysis, only child's age was significantly and positively associated with parental misperception of their child's actual weight status. Conclusions for Practice This cross sectional analysis showed an association between child's age and parental misperception of child's actual weight status. It is essential to educate parents about their children's weight status, especially among young children.

Parental Perception of Weight Status for Adenotonsillectomy Patients

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“…In this study, we found a high percentage of misperception of child weight, with mothers tending to underestimate their children’s weight. The results are consistent with recent findings [45,46]. The inability to accurately identify child overweight/obesity is problematic given that substantial evidence suggests that weight perception is critical in motivating health-related behavioral changes [47-49].…”

Concordance Between the Weight of Spanish Adolescent Soccer Players, Their Self-Perceived Weight, and Their Weight as Perceived by Their Parents

“…/ Do you think you have…?" (AlHasan et al, 2018) with a dichotomous response option (excess weight/non-excess weight).…”

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