Accuracy of weight perception among urban early adolescents with uncontrolled asthma and their caregivers.
BACKGROUND
Obesity is associated with poor asthma outcomes; weight loss improves such outcomes. Inaccurate recognition of obesity may impede weight control.


OBJECTIVE
We examined perception of weight by early adolescents with uncontrolled asthma and their caregivers, and tested the relationship between medical visit frequency and accuracy of perceived weight status.


METHODS
A total of 373 adolescents and their caregivers reported the adolescent's height/weight and weight perception; caregivers reported healthcare utilization. We measured height/weight. Logistic regression modeled accuracy of weight perception.


RESULTS
A total of 43.7 % of the overweight/obese adolescents and caregivers accurately perceived weight status. BMI percentile [odds ratio (OR) = 1.19, confidence interval (CI) = 1.10-1.28] and total medical visits (OR = 1.18, CI = 1.05-1.33) were associated with higher accuracy in caregivers. Total medical visits (OR = 0.84, CI = 0.74-0.96) was associated with lower accuracy in adolescents.


CONCLUSIONS
Accurate perception of weight status was poor for overweight adolescents with uncontrolled asthma and their caregivers. Frequent medical visits were associated with improved caregivers' but not adolescents' perceptions.
VA New York Harbor and Division of General Internal Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. Melanie.jay@nyumc.org
Melanie
M
Jay
Cesalie
C
Stepney
N Ari
NA
Wijetunga
Grace
G
Akinrinade
Karen
K
Dorsey
Jean-Marie
JM
Bruzzese
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000523:psychology; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D009819:Office Visits; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014505:Urban Population