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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Katerina Maximova, MA, PhD(Cand)¹, Jennifer J. McGrath, PhD, MPH², Tracie Barnett, PhD³, Jennifer O'Loughlin, PhD¹, Gilles Paradis, PhD, MD¹, and Marie Lambert, MD⁴. (1) Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Purvis Hall, 1020 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, QC H3A 1A2, Canada, (514) 279-9793, katerina.maximova@mcgill.ca, (2) Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 rue Sherbrooke ouest, PY 139-3, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada, (3) Social and Preventive Medicine/Groupe de recherche Interdisciplinaire en Santé, University of Montreal, Pavillon 1420 Mont-Royal, 1420 boul. Mont-Royal, bureau 3108-1, Montreal, QC H2V 4P3, Canada, (4) Pediatrics, University of Montreal & Ste. Justine Hospital, Medican Genetics Division, Ste. Justine Hospital, 3175 Cote Ste Catherine, Montreal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada

Despite widespread preoccupation with thinness, obesity is a growing public health problem throughout the lifecourse. Over the last two decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity has risen to epidemic proportions worldwide. Perceiving oneself as overweight is linked to greater motivation to engage in healthy lifestyle behavior. The aim of the current analysis was to examine the relationship between youths' body image perception and body mass index (BMI) in a population-based sample. The 1999 Quebec Child and Adolescent Health and Social Survey was a provincially-representative cross-sectional survey of youth aged 9, 13 and 16 years (N=3613). Measures included clinic-measured height and weight and self-reports of current body image using seven sex-specific pictured silhouettes ranging from underweight to obese. Parents provided self-reports of height and weight. The discrepancy between children's BMI and perceived body image was used as the indicator of (mis)perception. Overweight/obese children were more likely to misperceive their body image compared to normal weight children. Multiple regression analyses indicated that parental BMI was positively associated with body image misperception, such that children of parents who were overweight/obese were more likely to misperceive their own body image. The findings suggest that family and parental context influences children's perceptions of normal body proportions, and thus has important public health implications for childhood obesity prevention. As overweight/obese children who perceive their weight to be normal are less receptive to obesity prevention measures, it becomes important that both children and their parents are aware that they are above normal weight.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the session the participants will learn that (
• obese/overweight children are misperceiving their body image and (
• parental body mass index largely influences children's perceptions of their own body.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No