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  • Pediatric Original Article
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When do mothers think their child is overweight?

International Journal of Obesity volume 35, pages 510–516 (2011)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

To quantify how overweight children have to be for their mothers to classify them as overweight and to express concern about future overweight, and to investigate the adiposity cues in children that mothers respond to.

Design:

Cross-sectional.

Subjects:

A total of 531 children from the Gateshead Millennium Study cohort at 6–8 years and their mothers.

Measurements:

In the mother: responses to two questions concerning the child's adiposity; height; weight; educational qualifications; and economic status. In the child: height; weight; waist circumference; skinfold thicknesses; bioelectrical impedance; and bone frame measurements.

Results:

The body mass index (BMI) at which half the mothers classify their child as overweight was 21.3 (in the obese range for children of this age). The BMI at which half the mothers were concerned about their child becoming overweight in the future was 17.1 (below the overweight range). Waist circumference and skinfolds contributed most to mothers’ responses. Although BMI and fat scores were important predictors individually, they did not contribute independently once waist circumference and skinfolds (their most visible manifestations) were included in the regression equations. Mothers were less likely to classify girls as overweight. Mothers with higher BMIs were less likely to classify their child as overweight, but were more likely to be concerned about future overweight.

Conclusion:

Health promotion efforts directed at parents of young primary school children might better capitalise on their concern about future overweight in their child than on current weight status, and focus on mothers’ response to more visible characteristics than the BMI.

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Acknowledgements

The Gateshead Millennium Study was supported by a grant from the National Prevention Research Initiative (incorporating funding from British Heart Foundation; Cancer Research UK; Department of Health; Diabetes UK; Economic and Social Research Council; Food Standards Agency; Medical Research Council; Research and Development Office for the Northern Ireland Health and Social Services; Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Government Health Directorates; Welsh Assembly Government and World Cancer Research Fund). The cohort was first established with funding from the Henry Smith Charity and Sport Aiding Research in Kids (SPARKS) and followed up with grants from Gateshead NHS Trust R&D, Northern and Yorkshire NHS R&D, and Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust. We acknowledge the support of an External Reference Group in conducting the study. We appreciate the support of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Gateshead Education Authority and local schools. We warmly thank the research team for their effort. Thanks are especially due to the Gateshead Millennium Study families and children for their participation in the study.

Author information

Author notes

  1. K N Parkinson, R F Drewett, A R Jones, A Dale, M S Pearce, C M Wright and A J Adamson: Gateshead Millennium Study core team: Ashley Adamson, Anne Dale, Robert Drewett, Ann Le Couteur, Paul McArdle, Kathryn Parkinson, Mark Pearce, John Reilly and Charlotte Wright.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Health and Society, Human Nutrition Research Centre, William Leech Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    K N Parkinson, A R Jones & A J Adamson

  2. Department of Psychology, Science Laboratories, South Road, Durham University, Durham, UK

    R F Drewett

  3. Children's Department, Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Sheriff Hill, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, UK

    A Dale

  4. Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Sir James Spence Institute of Child Health, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    M S Pearce

  5. PEACH Unit, University of Glasgow, Faculty of Medicine, Queen Mother's Tower, Yorkhill Hospitals, Glasgow, UK

    C M Wright

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  1. K N Parkinson
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the Gateshead Millennium Study core team

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Correspondence to K N Parkinson.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Parkinson, K., Drewett, R., Jones, A. et al. When do mothers think their child is overweight?. Int J Obes 35, 510–516 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2010.260

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