Actual Weight, Perceived Weight and Desired Weight of Romanian School Children by Parents and Children.

Lucia Maria Lotrean,Codruta Lencu,Cecilia Lazea,Ana Maria Alexandra Stanescu,Mira Florea,Ioana Popa

doi:10.3390/medicina57040333

Lucia Maria Lotrean, Codruta Lencu + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57040333

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Abstract

Background and Objectives: The perception of the body weight by children and parents influences the consequent actions undertaken for children’s body weight management. This study investigated the correspondence between objective evaluations of Romanian school children (actual weight) and perceptions about weight (perceived weight), preoccupation with body weight management (desired weight) and parents’ perceptions on children’s weight. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was performed among 344 children aged 11 to 14 and 147 parents from Cluj-Napoca, Romania. We made anthropometric measurements of children, and short questionnaires were completed by the children and the parents. Results: The results show that 3.8% of children were underweight, 68.3% had a normal weight and 27.9% were overweight. Of this sample, 61.5% of underweight children, 20% of normal weight children and 43.7% of overweight children had misperceptions about their weight. The percentage of parents who did not estimate their children’s weight correctly was 50%, 11.9% and 41.5%, respectively, for each of the three weight groups. The results of the logistic regression analyses showed that several factors were associated with the misclassification of their own body weight by the children, such as body mass index, gender, weight management practices, misclassification by the parents as well as parent–child discussions on these issues. Conclusions: Education for both Romanian parents and children is needed with regard to correctly identifying and managing children’ body weight.

Highlights

Children’s body weight has important short and long-term consequences on their health, social and psychological development [1,2]
The desired weight results showed that 61.5% of the underweight and 17.9% of the normal weight children tried to gain weight in the last year, while 82.7% of the overweight children and 31.9% of the normal weight children tried to lose weight in the last year
The respective methods used for losing weight among overweight children and children who had normal weight and declared attempts to lose weight in the last year were as follows: sport (80.1% and 84%), dieting (52.6% and 42.7%), consumption of special tea (3.2% and 0%), use of medicine (1.9% and 1.3%), vomiting (0.6% and 0%), and massage (1.3% and 0%)

Summary

Introduction

Children’s body weight has important short and long-term consequences on their health, social and psychological development [1,2]. Childhood overweight and obesity can be linked to several medical conditions such as metabolic, cardiovascular, orthopedic, neurological, hepatic, pulmonary, and renal disorders It can affect social and emotional health, as well as academic performance [1,2] especially since the overweight child is likely to continue to be overweight at adulthood [3]. The children’s perception of body weight determines the quantity and quality of food intake, body weight management practices and communication with parents, friends and health professionals on this issue [5,6,7]. The perception of the body weight by children and parents influences the consequent actions undertaken for children’s body weight management. Conclusions: Education for both Romanian parents and children is needed with regard to correctly identifying and managing children’ body weight

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion