Parent Underestimation of Child Weight Status and Attitudes towards BMI Screening
Objective: In this study, we identify predictors of parental underestimation of child weight sta- tus and support for school-based BMI screening and reporting. Methods: Parents of 3rd through 7th grade students (N = 1002) participating in The Fit Study completed mailed surveys
assessing parent race/ethnicity, weight status, perception of child weight status, and preference for BMI screening and reporting. Results: Only 33% and 6% of parents classified their overweight child as somewhat overweight and their obese child as very overweight, respectively. Support for
BMI screening was stronger among Hispanic (OR = 2.3, p < .001), Asian (OR = 3.7, p < .001), and black (OR = 2.3, p = .04) parents than white parents and weaker among overweight versus normal- weight parents (OR = 0.6, p = .01). Compared to parents of 3rd grade students, parents
of older children reported less support for BMI reporting (4th grade: OR = 0.4, p = .04; 6th grade: OR = 0.3, p = .02; 7th grade: OR = 0.3, p = .03). Conclusions: Parent race/ethnicity, parent weight status, and child age are associated with support for BMI
screening and reporting..
Keywords: BMI REPORTING; BMI SCREENING; BODY MASS INDEX (BMI); CHILDHOOD OBESITY; CHILDHOOD OVERWEIGHT; HEALTH BEHAV POLICY REV.™ WEIGHT STATUS
Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 May 2019
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