https://doi.org/10.37527/2021.71.S1
1Universidad De Valparaíso, Escuela de Nutrición y Dietética, Centro de Investigación del Comportamiento Alimentario, Valparaíso, Chile, 2University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign-Urbana, United States, 3Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 4Junta Nacional de Jardines Infantiles, Santiago, Chile.
Background and objective. Misperceptions of child weight status influence the prevention or treatment of childhood obesity, especially parents who tend to underestimate more the weight status in under-six-year-old children compared to older children. Little is known about misperceptions and the factors associated with underestimation of child weight status in Latin American countries, particularly those widely affected by obesity such as Chile. Thus, the objectives of this study are to (1) assess parent misperceptions of weight status in young children and 2) examine socio-demographic, anthropometric, and behavioral factors associated with parent underestimation of child weight status in Chile.
Methods. The participants were 174 parents and their children between three and five years old recruited in childcare centers from neighborhoods classified as low- and middle-level of vulnerability in Santiago, Chile. During face-toface interviews, questionnaires and anthropometric measures were conducted in participants. Parents were verbally asked about their perceptions of child weight status and socio-demographic and child behavioral factors. Weight and height were measured in parents and their children. Frequencies of misperceptions were obtained by comparing the perceived versus the objective child weight status. Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to examine the factors associated with underestimation of child weight status.
Results. Underestimation of child weight status was 47% in the total sample, and 78% among parents of overweight or obese children. Child BMI z-scores OR = 2.8 (95% CI. 1.91, 4.36), less screen hours exposure in the child OR = .52 (95% CI. .29, .93) were associated with parent underestimation of child weight status.
Conclusions. The results of this study can help inform childhood obesity programs aimed at improving parent estimates of their child weight status in preschool years and increase healthcare professionals’ attention to parents of heavier children and child sedentary behaviors to effectively address misperceptions of child weight status.