Family Misperceptions of Childhood Obesity in Mexico City - Abstract
Aims: To define children, parents, and grandparents ideas about children overweight and obesity.
Method: A questionnaire applied to 1380 median-low, low and very low income families living in Mexico City, selected in a consecutive way, during the assistance to primary care units, according to inclusion criteria: Parents acceptance, at least one child with overweight or obesity and at least one child with normal weight, father and mother living in every day coexistence, four grandparents alive, daily or at least 5 days/week contact with grandparents, regular assistance to school, normal reading comprehension, and one or both parents working outside of home. We use Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel association test.
Results: The mother and grandmother’s opinion defines nutrition practices and optimal health state. Children define healthy food as the one recommended by the mother or the grandmother (100%), elaborated at home (100%), regardless of lipid and sugar amount (98%), any food with supplement and/or vitamins (97%), and Mexican style (crunchy, condiments, chili) is preferred in 95%. Adult member defines healthy food as elaborated at home (100%), regardless of lipid and/or sugar content (92%), natural food including industrialized fruit juices and sugar added flakes (98%) and those industrialized food
added with minerals and vitamins (100%). Overweight was considered the best state of nutrition, and an overweight child is considered taller, stronger, leader, healthy and smart than a normal weight child. Child obesity is considered as a normal (even desirable) and transitory state. All of these observations showed a statistically significant association