Maternal perception of excess weight in children: A survey conducted by paediatricians in the province of Milan

Abstract

To establish whether maternal perception of a child's body weight (BW) and food intake is related to the level of maternal education.Height and BW of 569 mother/child couples were measured, and mothers received a questionnaire regarding their perception of their own weight and their child's BW and food intake.Twenty-nine percent of mothers and 35% of children were overweight or obese. Only 10% of the mothers underestimated their own weight, while 37% overestimated it. In contrast, 28% of mothers underestimated their child's BW, while 9% overestimated it. Higher maternal instruction level was significantly associated to a lower weight class in both mothers and children, and to a correct perception of the child's weight. Fifty-seven per cent of the mothers who perceived their child to be overweight or obese were not concerned. Forty-four per cent of the mothers with overweight or obese children believed that their child was eating correctly.A better understanding of how mothers perceive the problem of excess weight in their children is relevant to the success of preventive interventions in childhood obesity.