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Maternal Concern about Child Weight in a Study of Weight‐Discordant Siblings
Author(s) -
Kral Tanja V. E.,
Moore Reneé H.,
Compher Charlene W.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
public health nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.471
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1525-1446
pISSN - 0737-1209
DOI - 10.1111/phn.12119
Subject(s) - overweight , sibling , medicine , body mass index , obesity , waist , pediatrics , body weight , demography , childhood obesity , psychology , developmental psychology , sociology
Objective This study examined concern about child weight in mothers of weight‐discordant siblings and determined the accuracy of maternal self‐report versus measured child height, weight, and corresponding body mass index ( BMI ; kg/m 2 ) z‐score. Design and Sample Discordant sibling design. Forty‐seven mothers of 5‐ to 12‐year‐old, weight‐discordant siblings. Measures Mothers self‐reported their concern about child weight for each child separately and for a subset of children, self‐reported their heights and weights. Siblings' height, weight, waist circumference, and adiposity were measured. Results The majority (83%) of mothers expressed concern about their overweight/obese child's weight and 20% of mothers expressed concern about their normal‐weight child's weight ( p < .001). Difference scores in maternal concern about child weight were positively associated with difference scores in sibling BMI z‐score ( r = 0.42; p = .01) and percent body fat ( r = 0.56; p < .001). For overweight/obese children only, maternal‐reported child heights and weights were significantly lower compared to the measured values ( p < .03). Conclusions One fifth of mothers of weight‐discordant siblings were unconcerned about their overweight/obese child's weight and for overweight/obese children only, mothers tended to underreport children's height and weight. Mothers' concern for their overweight/obese child's weight was greater for sibling pairs who were more discordant in their weight.