Parental perception of child weight and inflammation: Perceived overweight is associated with higher child c-reactive protein

Abstract

Self-perceived overweight and weight discrimination are associated with inflammation in adulthood. We test whether there is an intergenerational association of parent perception of child overweight on higher levels of child c-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation implicated in stress. Data were from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2014 (N=4,988). Parents reported their perception of their child’s weight; CRP was assayed from children’s blood samples. Children whose parents perceived them as overweight had higher CRP levels than children who were perceived about the right weight; perceived underweight was also associated with higher CRP (F(2,4977)=9.23, p<.001). These associations were independent of the child’s objective weight status and waist circumference and held when the sample was limited to children with objective overweight and obesity. These results suggest an intergenerational transfer of the psychological perception of body weight from parents to the inflammatory health of their child.