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


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Intagliata
Valentina
V
Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. vjf9r@virginia.edu
Ip
Edward H
EH
Gesell
Sabina B
SB
Barkin
Shari L
SL
D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D002648:Child; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012649:Self Concept