Hochdorn Alexander, Baldi Ileana, Paramesh Elizabeth Cherian, Kumar Malathi, Gulati Achal, Gregori Dario
Unit of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Public Health, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padua, Via Loredan, 18, 35121, Padova, Italy.
Indian J Pediatr. 2014 Sep;81 Suppl 1:39-46. doi: 10.1007/s12098-014-1464-x. Epub 2014 Jun 12.
To quantify mothers' social desirability bias with respect to their children's weight in a cross-regional Indian setting.
The OBEY-AD was a cross-sectional study which has been realized in 7 Indian cities (Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, New Delhi and Surat), enroling 1,680 children aged 3-11 y of which 50% were females. Children's BMI scores were computed, standardized according to WHO growth charts and categorized as Normal, Overweight, Obese and Underweight. Mothers were asked to judge the weight status of their children through an iconographic test, indicating the shape, which better mirrors the size of their kids. Socio-demographic data, especially employment, income and education, was accessed by administrating a cross-sectional questionnaire to the mothers, involved for the study.
Overall, 369 children resulted as obese or overweight (23.5%). Out of them, 75% (278) were not recognized as such by their mothers. Such figures range from up to 76% in Chennai and Surat down to 72% in Hyderabad, Kolkata, New Delhi and Mumbai. Overall agreement between perceived and desired weight status of children was very poor (p < 0.001). Surprisingly, overall 10% of overweight/obese children were considered as even too lean by their mothers. Misperception of children's weight status seemed to be significantly related to urban differences and socio-economic status.
This study quantifies the extent of the so-called social desirability bias, namely mother's unconscious attitude to adapt empirical evidence to more culturally legitimized ideal-types of what their children's weight status is expected to be. Its association with westernized representations of leanness as evaluation criteria for beauty has important policy implications.
在印度跨地区背景下，量化母亲对其子女体重的社会期望偏差。
OBEY-AD是一项横断面研究，在印度7个城市（班加罗尔、孟买、金奈、海得拉巴、加尔各答、新德里和苏拉特）开展，纳入1680名3至11岁儿童，其中50%为女性。计算儿童的BMI分数，根据世界卫生组织生长图表进行标准化，并分为正常、超重、肥胖和体重过轻。通过图像测试要求母亲判断其子女的体重状况，指出最能反映孩子体型的形状。通过向参与研究的母亲发放横断面问卷来获取社会人口学数据，尤其是就业、收入和教育情况。
总体而言，369名儿童被判定为肥胖或超重（23.5%）。其中，75%（278名）未被其母亲识别出超重或肥胖。这一比例在金奈和苏拉特高达76%，在海得拉巴、加尔各答、新德里和孟买则低至72%。儿童实际体重状况与母亲期望体重状况之间的总体一致性非常差（p<0.001）。令人惊讶的是，总体上10%的超重/肥胖儿童被其母亲认为甚至太瘦了。对儿童体重状况的误解似乎与城市差异和社会经济地位显著相关。
本研究量化了所谓的社会期望偏差的程度，即母亲无意识地倾向于使经验证据符合关于子女预期体重状况的更具文化合法性的理想类型。其与将瘦的西化观念作为美的评价标准之间的关联具有重要的政策意义。
