Maximova K, McGrath J J, Barnett T, O'Loughlin J, Paradis G, Lambert M
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
Int J Obes (Lond). 2008 Jun;32(6):1008-15. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2008.15. Epub 2008 Mar 4.
Obesity prevention in childhood is important. However, changing children's lifestyle behaviors to reduce overweight is a substantial challenge. Accurately perceiving oneself as overweight/obese has been linked to greater motivation to change lifestyle behaviors. Children and adolescents may be less likely to perceive themselves as overweight/obese if they are exposed to overweight/obese people in their immediate environments. This study examined whether youth who are exposed to overweight parents and schoolmates were more likely to misperceive their own weight status.
The Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey was a provincially representative, school-based survey of children and adolescents conducted between January and May 1999.
3665 children and adolescents (age 9, n=1267; age 13, n=1186; age 16, n=1212) from 178 schools. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 17.5, 20.6 and 22.2 kg/m(2), respectively.
The misperception score was calculated as the standardized difference between self-perception of weight status (Stunkard Body Rating Scale) and actual BMI (from measured height and weight). Exposure to obesity was based on parent and schoolmate BMI.
Overweight and obese youth were significantly more likely to misperceive their weight compared with non-overweight youth (P<0.001). Multilevel modeling indicated that greater parent and schoolmate BMI were significantly associated with greater misperception (underestimation) of weight status among children and adolescents.
Children and adolescents who live in environments in which people they see on a daily basis, such as parents and schoolmates, are overweight/obese may develop inaccurate perceptions of what constitutes appropriate weight status. Targeting misperception may facilitate the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors and improve the effectiveness of obesity prevention interventions.
儿童期肥胖预防至关重要。然而，改变儿童的生活方式行为以减轻超重是一项巨大挑战。准确地将自己视为超重/肥胖与改变生活方式行为的更大动力相关联。如果儿童和青少年在其直接环境中接触到超重/肥胖的人，他们可能不太可能将自己视为超重/肥胖。本研究调查了接触超重父母和同学的青少年是否更有可能错误感知自己的体重状况。
魁北克儿童与青少年健康及社会调查是1999年1月至5月间在该省进行的一项具有代表性的、基于学校的儿童与青少年调查。
来自178所学校的3665名儿童与青少年（9岁，n = 1267；13岁，n = 1186；16岁，n = 1212）。平均体重指数（BMI）分别为17.5、20.6和22.2kg/m²。
错误感知分数通过体重状况自我认知（斯图卡德身体评级量表）与实际BMI（根据测量的身高和体重计算）之间的标准化差异来计算。肥胖暴露基于父母和同学的BMI。
与非超重青少年相比，超重和肥胖青少年更有可能错误感知自己的体重（P<0.001）。多水平模型表明，父母和同学较高的BMI与儿童和青少年对体重状况的更大错误感知（低估）显著相关。
生活在日常所见之人（如父母和同学）超重/肥胖环境中的儿童和青少年，可能会对什么是适当体重状况形成不准确的认知。针对错误感知可能有助于采用健康的生活方式行为，并提高肥胖预防干预措施的效果。
