Overweight or obese children related to mother
May 20, 2011
Dr. Dumas studied the case history of 222 mothers and children recruited at an urban children’s health clinic. Most of them were Latinos. They were asked about their social background and medical history; and their height, weight and body mass index measured. The finding was that nearly 40 percent of the kids in the age group of seven to 13 were overweight or obese while of the mothers interviewed it was just under two-thirds. As much as 82 percent of the obese women underestimated their weight, compared with 13% of normal-weight women and 43% of overweight. Similarly, 15% of normal-weight children could not correctly estimate their weight as against 86% of overweight or obese children
Interestingly enough, most of the overweight interviewees weighed more than their estimates. Besides, the likelihood of the persons underestimating their weight increased as they became heavier. Disturbingly enough, 50 percent of the moms having an overweight child were under the misconception that the weight of their child was normal. At the same time, a mere 40 percent of the interviewed children wanted their moms to shed flab even though 80 percent of those women were overweight.
“A lot of their misperception has to do with the fact that overweight and obesity is becoming the norm,” Dr Dumas told reporters.
In the United States, 55 percent of the population – 97 million adults – is overweight or obese. Providing this data, the National Institute of Health added that about 23 percent of the population is obese which up from 13 percent in 1960. Obesity among American adults is a major cause of concern for its government. It has risen by roughly 60 percent between 1991 and 1999.
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