Caregiver Concern About Child Overweight/Obesity in Grandparent Versus Parent-Headed Households in the United States.

Abstract

To examine the association of caregivers' concern about children's overweight and obesity status with family structure (grandparent versus parent-headed households). Caregivers reported their relation to the child aged 10 to 17 years and the child's weight and height (National Survey of Children's Health 2016-20). Overweight/obesity was calculated using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts. We estimated associations (prevalence odds ratio) of residing in a grandparent-headed household with lack of weight concern (responding "Yes, it's too low" or "No, not concerned" to "Are you concerned about this child's weight?") among propensity score-matched children with overweight and obesity. Covariates included child's sex, race, ethnicity, age, family poverty ratio, primary household language, highest level of education among reported adults, caregiver mental and emotional health, usual source of care and survey year. The prevalence of child overweight/obesity was higher in grandparent-headed households. Among children with overweight/obesity, 64.65 (SE=3.27)% of grandparents and 66.55 (SE=0.81)% of parents did not express concern about the child's weight status. Among children with obesity, it was 52.42 (SE=4.63)% and 49.04 (SE=1.28)%, respectively. Family structure was not associated with caregiver lack of weight concern in propensity score-matched samples. Appropriate caregiver concern about child's weight status was low in both grandparent and parent-headed households in the United States.