Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Parental perceptions of children's body shapes

M S Zalilah1, H A Anida, Ang Merlin

  • 1Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor.

The Medical Journal of Malaysia
|June 12, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Parents perceive ideal and healthy body shapes as less important for girls than boys. This perception may influence children's body image development and dissatisfaction.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Parental perceptions significantly shape children's body image.
  • Body dissatisfaction is a growing concern among Malaysian children.
  • Understanding parental roles is crucial for addressing body image issues.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate parental perceptions of boys' and girls' body shapes.
  • To explore parental views on the importance of body shape care in children.
  • To identify potential links between parental perceptions and children's body image development.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 158 low-income parents of preschoolers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • Assessment of parental perceptions using a 7-point ranking scale for ideal, healthy, fat, and thin body attributes for both genders.
  • Inclusion of parental responses on the significance of children's body shape.

Main Results:

  • Parents ranked ideal and healthy body shapes significantly lower for girls compared to boys (p < 0.001).
  • No significant differences were found in mothers' and fathers' rankings for boys' versus girls' body shapes.
  • Parental ratings for ideal body shape were significantly lower than for healthy body shape for both genders (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Parental perceptions of ideal body shapes are gender-biased, favoring boys over girls.
  • Parents emphasize the importance of body shape for children's future health, self-esteem, social interactions, and careers.
  • These findings highlight the parental influence on body image and the potential etiology of body dissatisfaction in children.

More Related Videos

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design07:40

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design

Published on: May 31, 2021

Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging06:48

Clinical Anthropometrics and Body Composition from 3-Dimensional Optical Imaging

Published on: June 7, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience01:18

Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience

Self-esteem, a crucial component of psychological development, is significantly shaped by familial experiences. The early parent-child relationship serves as a foundational influence on a child's self-concept, with long-lasting effects extending into adolescence and adulthood.Parental Behaviors and Early Self-Esteem FormationEmpirical studies have identified four principal parental behaviors that foster healthy self-esteem in children. These include expressions of acceptance, affection, and...
Parenting Styles01:27

Parenting Styles

Diana Baumrind's four parenting styles — authoritarian, authoritative, neglectful, and permissive — each influence children's socio-emotional development differently.
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification03:00

Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity01:23

Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity

Adolescence is a pivotal period of identity formation, during which individuals begin to answer questions central to their sense of self, such as "Who am I?" and "Who do I hope to become?" Both parents and peers play critical roles in guiding adolescents through this complex developmental phase.
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other01:20

Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other

According to George Herbert Mead, as children progress beyond the game stage, they develop a more comprehensive understanding of societal rules and norms. This cognitive and social development enables them to internalize the expectations of the broader community, refining their ability to regulate behavior.Consistent participation in organized activities is crucial in helping children recognize that their actions are not isolated but contribute to a more significant, interconnected group effort.
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...