Overweight and obese mothers and their children think they weigh less than their actual weight, according to research reported at the American Heart Association’s Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention 2011 Scientific Sessions.
In the study of women and children in an urban, predominantly Hispanic population, most normal weight women and children in the study correctly estimated their body weight, but most obese women and children underestimated theirs. The researchers also recorded participants’ height, weight and BMI, which is a measurement of body weight based on height. A BMI of 25-29 is overweight, and a BMI over 30 is obese.
The researchers found:
65.8% of moms surveyed were overweight or obese.
38.9 % of kids surveyed were overweight or obese.
81.8 % of obese women underestimated their weight compared to 42.5 % of overweight and 13.2% of normal weight women; similarly, 86% of overweight or obese children underestimated their weight compared to 15 % of normal weight children. ·
Of mothers with overweight or obese children, almost half (47.5 percent) thought their children were of normal weight.
Children selected larger body images than those chosen by their mothers to describe an “ideal” or “healthy” body image for a woman. · 41.4 % of the children in the study thought their moms should lose weight.
A good way to start the track to losing weigh is monitoring and counting calories consumed each day. Counting calories and exercising a few days each week can be the start of healthier lifestyles!
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