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Parental Perception of Children’s Weight Status: Love Overpasses Scientific Evidence! A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

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Abstract

Introduction

Age, gender, body mass index percentiles and the adherence to Mediterranean diet were investigated as potential predictor factors in this assessment.

Aim

To assess the parental perception of children's weight status.

Methods

This cross-sectional observational study was carried out during a corporate wellness program (Ferrari Formula Benessere) implemented by Ferrari S.p.A. and managed by Med-Ex s.r.l. The children’s real weight status was assessed through Body Mass Index percentiles (ArthroPlus software—WHO).

Results

328 children (66.4%) were normal-weight, 10 were underweight (2%), 66 were overweight (13.4%) and 90 were obese (18.2%). 289 children (59%) were classified correctly by parents, while 205 children (41%) were not. 64 of 66 overweight children and 90 of 90 children with obesity have been completely underestimated (53 of 90 children with obesity were judged normal weight). The parents’ probability to estimate children’s weight status correctly decreased increasing body mass index percentiles paradoxically [OR = 0.96 (0.95–0.97)] and was lower in boys [OR = 0.65 (0.44–0.98)]. Although not statistically significant, children with higher adherence to Mediterranean diet seems to have higher probability to be correctly estimated [low adherence: reference, medium adherence: OR = 1.06 (0.61–1.85), high adherence: OR = 1.48 (0.81–2.75)].

Conclusions

A high percentage of children is overweight or obese and almost half of parents classified their weight status incorrectly. Increasing children’s body mass index percentiles decreases the probability to be correctly classified.

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Funding

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Med-Ex, Medicine & Exercise srl, Medical Partner Scuderia Ferrari, via Vittorio Veneto 108, 00187, Rome, Italy

    Felice Sirico, Fredrick Fernando, Antonio Bianco, Carlo Loiacono, Francesco Nuccio & Alessandro Biffi

  2. Human Anatomy and Sport Medicine Division, Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy

    Felice Sirico, Francesco Gambardella, Stefano Palermi & Stefania Montagnani

Authors
  1. Felice Sirico
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  2. Fredrick Fernando
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  3. Antonio Bianco
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  4. Carlo Loiacono
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  5. Francesco Nuccio
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  6. Francesco Gambardella
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  7. Stefano Palermi
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  8. Stefania Montagnani
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  9. Alessandro Biffi
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Antonio Bianco, Carlo Loiacono, Francesco Gambardella, Francesco Nuccio and Stefano Palermi. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Felice Sirico and Fredrick Fernando, while Alessandro Biffi and Stefania Montagnani commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alessandro Biffi.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Sirico, F., Fernando, F., Bianco, A. et al. Parental Perception of Children’s Weight Status: Love Overpasses Scientific Evidence! A Cross-Sectional Observational Study. High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev 27, 29–34 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40292-019-00352-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40292-019-00352-2

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