Hispanic Maternal Perception of Preschoolers’ Bodyweight Status in Samples from the United States of America and Mexico

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Childhood obesity is a major public health concern, which disproportionally affects Hispanic children in the United States (US) and Mexico. Mothers are key influencers to their children's health and growth. As part of a pilot obesity prevention study, Hispanic mothers’ perception of their preschoolers’ weight status was assessed to inform the development of intervention strategies. Methods Study subjects were Hispanic mothers and their preschoolers between the ages of 3 and 5 enrolled in participating Head Star Centers in Texas, US or kindergartens in Northern Mexico. Upon informed consent, mothers completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing their perception of their preschoolers’ weight status. Preschoolers’ body weight and height were measured; and their actual weight status was classified using the CDC's age and gender specific BMI references. Results Preliminary data included 85 and 294 child-mother pairs from US and Mexico, respectively. The US sample had a higher rate of overweight and obesity (35%) in comparison to the Mexico sample (19%). There was a great discrepancy between mothers’ perception and their children's actual weight status in both samples. Although only approximately 5% of children were underweight, 14% of American and 24% of Mexican mothers perceived their children being underweight. Contrarily, only 4.8% of American mothers perceived their children as a little overweight or obese, as compared to the actual rate of 35%. Similarly, only 5% of Mexican mothers perceived their children as a little overweight or obese, as compared to the actual rate of 19%. Conclusions Hispanic mothers in the US and Mexico appear to worry about their normal weight children being underweight, while overlooking the overweight and obesity problem. Early childhood obesity prevention programming is needed to aggressively address Hispanic mothers’ preference of chubby children, and the mothers’ underestimation of overweight and obesity among their preschoolers. Funding Sources The Mexico's National Science and Technology Council & The Kellogg´s Institute of Nutrition and Health.