Accuracy of self- and parental perception of overweight among Latino preadolescents.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
This investigation examines self-perception and parental perception of child body size and factors associated with accurate parental perception of child body size.

METHODS:
Latino at-risk for overweight (AROW) and/or overweight preadolescent children (ages 8-11 years) along with their parents were recruited (N=123 dyads). Children's body mass index (BMI) was measured but not discussed before participants were shown pictures of body sizes and asked to select the image that represented the child's body.

RESULTS:
The correlation between the child's body size selection and the child's actual BMI was 0.117 (p=0.20) whereas the correlation between the parent's assessment of the child's body size and the child's actual BMI was 0.470 (p<0.001). Logistic regression revealed that only parental education level (> or =college) was associated with a more accurate parental perception of their child's body size (OR:
0.11/95%

CI:
0.01, 0.89) while child's sex, parental BMI, and parental health status were not associated with a perception that corresponded to the child's BMI.

LIMITATIONS:
The sample was drawn from a single community clinic in Forsyth County which serves a large population of newer Latino immigrants in the county.

CONCLUSIONS:
The results indicate that (1) Latino AROW/overweight preadolescent children do not have an accurate perception of their own body size; (2) Latino parents have a more accurate perception of their child's body size with a moderately sized correlation suggesting that their perception of their child's body size is frequently inaccurate; and (3) Latino parents with higher education perceive their child's body size more accurately than less educated parents.

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Author information

Author/s: Intagliata, Valentina (V); Ip, Edward H (EH); Gesell, Sabina B (SB); Barkin, Shari L (SL);

Affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. vjf9r(-atsign-)virginia.edu

Grants: R21 HD050990-02 (Agency:United States NICHD)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: North Carolina medical journal (N C Med J), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2008 Mar-Apr; vol 69 (issue 2) : pp 88-91

Dates: Created 2008/07/07; Completed 2008/09/11;

PMID: 18605154, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Hispanic Americans - psychology
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
North Carolina
Overweight - psychology
Parents - psychology
Self Concept

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