title: Parental perceptions of and concerns about child's body weight in eight European countries--the IDEFICS study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate parental perceptions of and concern about child's body weight and general health in children in a European cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional multi-centre study in eight European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  16,220 children, ages 2-9 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents completed a questionnaire regarding children's health and weight and concern about overweight and underweight. Objective children's weight categories from the International Obesity Task Force were used. Logistic regression models were utilized to identify predictors of accurate weight perception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parental weight perception corresponded overall to children's mean body mass index (BMI) z-scores, with important exceptions. About one-third of the total indicated concern about underweight, paradoxically most often parents of children in the overweight or obesity categories. In 63%, parents of children in the overweight category marked 'proper weight'. The strongest predictor for accurate parental weight perception for children with overweight and obesity was BMI z-score (odds ratio [OR] = 7.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.1-8.7). Compared to Southern Europe, ORs for accurate parental weight perception were 4.4 (95% CI 3.3-6.0) in Northern Europe and 3.4 (95% CI 2.7-4.2) in Central Europe.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parents of children categorized as being overweight or obese systematically underestimated weight. Parents differed regionally regarding accurate weight perception and concern about overweight and underweight.
authors.affiliation: Nordic School of Public Health NHV, Gothenburg, Sweden. susann.regber@nhv.se
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Regber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eiben
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bammann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Henauw
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Alvira
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gwozdz
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kourides
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Molnár
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pigeot
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reisch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Veidebaum
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Borup
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mårild
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013851:Thinness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014892:Weight Perception