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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
DXA measurements confirm that parental perceptions of elevated adiposity in young children are poor
Jody C Miller1, Andrea M Grant, Bernadette F Drummond
1Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, Great King Street, PO Box 913, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
Insights
Parents often underestimate their child's weight status, even when body mass index (BMI) indicates excess body fat. Informing parents about their child's BMI percentile is crucial for preventing childhood obesity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Public Health Nutrition
- Childhood Obesity Research
Background:
- Accurate assessment of child body weight status is vital for early intervention.
- Parental perception of child weight can influence health behaviors and seeking medical advice.
- Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern with long-term health implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare parental assessments of child body weight with measured Body Mass Index (BMI) percentiles.
- To investigate if misclassified children exhibit different body composition compared to correctly classified children.
- To examine differences in body composition and weight perception between children of obese and non-obese parents.
Main Methods:
- Measured weight, height, BMI, and waist girth in 96 New Zealand children aged 3-8 years.
- Assessed body composition (fat mass, fat percentage, lean mass) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
- Parents classified child weight status; BMI percentiles were calculated using CDC 2000 data.
Main Results:
- Parents consistently underestimated their children's weight status.
- Only 7 of 31 children with BMI at or above the 85th percentile were perceived as overweight by parents.
- Children whose weight status was underestimated had less fat mass but similar lean mass compared to correctly classified children.
- No significant differences in body composition or anthropometry were found between children of obese and non-obese parents.
Conclusions:
- Parental underestimation of child weight is prevalent.
- BMI percentiles effectively identify high body fat in children.
- Advising parents on their child's BMI status can enhance strategies for preventing excessive fat gain.
Objective:
To compare parental assessments of child body weight status with BMI measurements and determine whether children who are incorrectly classified differ in body composition from those whose parents correctly rate child weight. Also to ascertain whether children of obese parents differ from those of non-obese parents in actual or perceived body weight.
Research Methods And Procedures:
Weights, heights, BMI, and waist girths of New Zealand children ages 3 to 8 years were determined. Fat mass, fat percentage, and lean mass were measured by DXA (n = 96). Parents classified child weight status as underweight, normal-weight, slightly overweight, or overweight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2000 percentiles of BMI were used.
Results:
Parents underestimated child weight status. Despite having 83% more fat mass than children with BMI values below the 85th percentile, only 7 of 31 children with BMI values at or above the 85th percentile were rated as slightly overweight or overweight. In the whole sample, participants whose weight status was underestimated by parents (40 of the 96 children) had l9% less fat mass but similar lean mass as children whose weight status was correctly classified. However, children of obese and non-obese parents did not differ in body composition or anthropometry, and obese parents did not underestimate child weight more than non-obese parents.
Discussion:
Because parents underestimate child weight, but BMI values at or above the 85th percentile identify high body fat well, advising parents of the BMI status of their children should improve strategies to prevent excessive fat gain in young children.
