title: Preschool-Age Chinese Children's Weight Status: WHO Classification, Parent Ratings, Child/Family Characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to compare preschool-age Chinese children's weight status based on the WHO guidelines with parental ratings on their children's body type, and child/family demographic characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 171 preschool-age children (M=60.5months, SD=6.7; boys: 46.8%) randomly selected from 23 classrooms. Based on BMIs from their height and weight from physical examinations, the children were divided into three groups using the 2006 WHO guidelines: underweight (n=46), normal weight (n=65), and overweight (n=60). Data on the parental ratings of children's current body type, ideal body type and child/family demographic characteristics were collected with surveys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parents' accurately classified 91.1% of the underweight children, 52.3% of the normal weight children, and 61.7% of the overweight children. In terms of ideal body shape for their children, parents typically wanted their children to have normal weight or to remain underweight. Most of the child and family demographic characteristics were not different across children who were underweight, had normal weight, and were overweight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because parents tended to underestimate their children's weight status, it is important to increase Chinese parents' knowledge on what constitutes healthy weight, as well as the potential harm of overweight status for children's development. Training healthcare providers in kindergartens and pediatric clinics to work with parents to recognize unhealthy weight status in children is valuable.
authors.affiliation: Changning Institute of Education, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Guang Heng
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational and Psychological Studies, College of Education, University of South Florida, United States. Electronic address: tan@usf.edu.
authors.forename: Tony Xing
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, United States.
authors.forename: Charissa S L
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Cheah
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D000067576:Child Health; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000145:classification; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000145:classification / Q000208:ethnology*; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014892:Weight Perception; D014944:World Health Organization
keywords: Childhood obesity; Chinese children; Family characteristics; Parental weight perception