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Family history and parental recognition of overweight in Croatian children

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of parents on the weight status of their offspring, particularly in relation to a family history of obesity and obesity-related illnesses. A cross-sectional study of 1,068 child–parent dyads sampled at school entry health examination was conducted (median age of the child 6.75 years, range 5.7–8.3 years, 50.3 % males). The parental perception of the weight status of their child was compared to the body mass index (BMI, kilogram per square meter), calculated from measured weight and height. Weight status (underweight, normal, overweight, and obese) was defined using the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI for age reference charts. Backward multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine possible predictors of parental misclassification of overweight/obese children. Among this cohort of children, 12 % were overweight, 10.2 % obese, and 8.1 % were underweight. Only 24.8 % of obese children and 2.2 % of overweight children were considered “overweight” by their parents. A positive family history was not significantly associated with parental recognition of overweight. Parental misperception of overweight/obese children as being normal was related to the child BMI z-score (odds ratio (OR) 0.036; 0.012–0.111) and diabetes in family history (OR 3.187; 1.207–8.413). Conclusion: The majority of parents did not perceive their overweight/obese children as overweight. As having an obese family member or one who has suffered from an obesity-related illness does not increase the parental ability to recognize overweight in their children, strategies to increase public awareness about the importance of one's family medical history are needed.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the following practices and the named physicians who guided data collection efforts at their offices: Blazenka Kovacevic Petrovski MD, Darija Mihaldinec MD (Institute of Public Health Dr. Andrija Stampar, Department of School and University Medicine).

Human subjects approval statement

The study protocol was approved by the Croatian National Institute of Public Health Ethics Committee.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Public Health “Dr. Andrija Stampar”, Mirogojska 16, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Nina Petricevic & Marija Posavec

  2. Institute of Public Health of Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska County, Matice Hrvatske 15, 43000, Bjelovar, Croatia

    Zrinka Puharic

  3. Croatian National Institute of Public Health, Rockefellerova 7, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Ivana Pavic Simetin & Iva Pejnovic Franelic

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  1. Nina Petricevic
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  2. Zrinka Puharic
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  3. Marija Posavec
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  4. Ivana Pavic Simetin
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  5. Iva Pejnovic Franelic
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Correspondence to Nina Petricevic or Ivana Pavic Simetin.

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Petricevic, N., Puharic, Z., Posavec, M. et al. Family history and parental recognition of overweight in Croatian children. Eur J Pediatr 171, 1209–1214 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-012-1707-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-012-1707-7

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