Abstract
Objective. To evaluate parents' beliefs and practices related to childhood obesity and determine if these are influenced by parent's perception of their own weight or their child's weight. Methods. Parents of obese (n = 689) or normal weight (n = 1122) children 4–15 years in Georgia, USA, were randomly selected to complete a telephone survey. Frequency of child obesity-related perceptions, beliefs, and practices were assessed, stratified by parent-perceived self-weight and child weight status, and compared using Chi-squared tests and multivariate logistic regression. Results. Most parents, regardless of perceived child weight, agreed that child overweight/obesity can cause serious illness (95%) but only one-half believed it was a problem in Georgia. Many (42.4%) failed to recognize obesity in their own children. More parents who perceived their child as overweight versus normal weight reported concern about their child's diet and activity and indicated readiness for lifestyle change. Parents' perception of their own weight had little additional impact. Conclusions. While awareness of child overweight as a modifiable health risk is high, many parents fail to recognize it in their own families and communities, reducing the likelihood of positive lifestyle change. Additional efforts to help parents understand their role in facilitating behavior change and to assist them in identifying at-risk children are required.
Highlights
Since the 1970s, the prevalence of childhood obesity has nearly tripled in the United States [1], with the current rate approaching 20%
Similar to the results of earlier studies [11, 12, 17], we found that many parents of obese children incorrectly perceived these children as normal weight
Since parents who perceive their obese children as normal weight are less likely to be motivated to make healthy lifestyle behavior changes [15], this highlights the need for increased effort to ensure that children’s weight status is regularly and accurately assessed and effectively communicated to parents
Summary
Since the 1970s, the prevalence of childhood obesity has nearly tripled in the United States [1], with the current rate approaching 20%. Obesity in childhood is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, as well as depression and other psychosocial conditions [2]. Children who begin their lives overweight or obese are at heightened risk of adult obesity and related comorbidities [3]. Having an overweight or obese parent is known to greatly increase a child’s risk of obesity. Little is known about how to best modify diet and physical activity behaviors that promote a healthy weight. Parental involvement is believed to be a critical component of successful weight management practices in children [7,8,9,10]; yet, it is unclear as to why some parents practice behaviors that support the development of a healthy lifestyle, while others do not
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