Talking About Childhood Obesity: A Survey of What Parents Want

Determine parent preferences when discussing their child's weight with regard to weight-based terms, terms that are the most motivating, preferred setting, and whether or not awareness of their child's weight status impact these preferences.

Parents of children ages 3 to 17 years (N = 349) presenting for health supervision visits completed a survey to assess the degree of offensiveness and motivation for change of commonly used weight-based terminology, as well as the preferred setting for discussion of weight. Parents were asked to assess their child's weight status using recommended terminology ("obese," "overweight," "healthy weight," "underweight"), and their responses were compared to the children's objective body mass index (BMI) percentile.

The children had a median age of 10.3 years; 47.3% were female, 15.8% had overweight (85th-94th percentile BMI), and 11.5% had obesity (≥95th percentile BMI). Of children with overweight/obesity, 84.2% of parents underestimated their child's weight status. The least offensive terms were "at-risk weight," "BMI is high," "BMI is above 95%," and "unhealthy weight." The more offensive terms (P < .001) were "overweight" and "obese." The parent's perception of their child's weight did not affect offensiveness ratings. "Obese" was the strongest motivator for change (P < .001), and "unhealthy weight" was next. Well visits were preferred for discussing weight (P < .001). Most parents preferred to have the child remain in the room (P < .001), especially if the child was older (P < .001).

Providers should use preferred terms when discussing excess weight regardless of a parent's perception of their child's status and should also consider the motivational value of the term. "Unhealthy weight" was both preferred and motivating, but "obese" was the most motivating.