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Accuracy of Weight Perception Among Urban Early Adolescents with Uncontrolled Asthma and Their Caregivers

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Obesity is associated with poor asthma outcomes; weight loss improves such outcomes. Inaccurate recognition of obesity may impede weight control.

Purpose

We examined perception of weight by early adolescents with uncontrolled asthma and their caregivers, and tested the relationship between medical visit frequency and accuracy of perceived weight status.

Methods

A total of 373 adolescents and their caregivers reported the adolescent’s height/weight and weight perception; caregivers reported healthcare utilization. We measured height/weight. Logistic regression modeled accuracy of weight perception.

Results

A total of 43.7 % of the overweight/obese adolescents and caregivers accurately perceived weight status. BMI percentile [odds ratio (OR) = 1.19, confidence interval (CI) = 1.10–1.28] and total medical visits (OR = 1.18, CI = 1.05–1.33) were associated with higher accuracy in caregivers. Total medical visits (OR = 0.84, CI = 0.74–0.96) was associated with lower accuracy in adolescents.

Conclusions

Accurate perception of weight status was poor for overweight adolescents with uncontrolled asthma and their caregivers. Frequent medical visits were associated with improved caregivers’ but not adolescents’ perceptions.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors have no actual or potential conflict of interest, either personal or financial, to disclose.

Funding Source

This research was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health (R01HL079953; PI = J-M.B.)

Clinical Trial Registry Information

Family Approach to Managing Asthma in Early Teens; NCT00241852

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. VA New York Harbor and Division of General Internal Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Melanie Jay M.D, M.S

  2. Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA

    Cesalie Stepney Ed.M

  3. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA

    N. Ari Wijetunga M.S

  4. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Grace Akinrinade B.A.

  5. Department of Pediatrics, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Karen Dorsey M.D, Ph.D

  6. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child Study Center, NYU School of Medicine, One Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Jean-Marie Bruzzese Ph.D

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  1. Melanie Jay M.D, M.S
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  2. Cesalie Stepney Ed.M
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  3. N. Ari Wijetunga M.S
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  5. Karen Dorsey M.D, Ph.D
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  6. Jean-Marie Bruzzese Ph.D
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Correspondence to Jean-Marie Bruzzese Ph.D.

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Jay, M., Stepney, C., Wijetunga, N.A. et al. Accuracy of Weight Perception Among Urban Early Adolescents with Uncontrolled Asthma and Their Caregivers. ann. behav. med. 45, 239–248 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9452-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9452-8

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