Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health

Pilot Project for

Kelly Moore, M.D.

Parental Perception of Childhood Obesity: A Study of American Indian/Alaska Native Parents

Kelly Moore, Clinical Specialty Consultant, Indian Health Service National Diabetes Program, Albuquerque NM

 

1.           SPECIFIC AIMS

Childhood obesity is increasing nationwide at an astounding pace. Data from five nationally representative U.S. Health Surveys conducted from 1963 – 1965 and 1988 – 1991 document an increase in the prevalence of obesity for all age and gender groups (Troiano, 1995; Hanley, 2000; CDC, 2001). Obesity is an acknowledged risk factor among adults and children for the development of diabetes and other chronic diseases (Dietz, 1998; Must, 1999; Freedman, 1999; Wang, 2002). Several studies have demonstrated that parents and caregivers often do not perceive childhood obesity as a problem (Baughcum, 2000; Etelson, 2003; Jeffery, 2004) and do not recognize the attendant health risks (Jain, 2001).

              American Indian children suffer from disproportionately high rates of obesity and related health conditions such as diabetes (Jackson, 1993; Broussard, 1995; Rios Burrows, 1998; Acton, 2002). Yet, little is known about the attitudes of the children themselves or parental and caregiver perceptions toward their children’s weight. The scant literature suggests that American Indian youth have substantial concerns about weight, yet parents often do not see obesity as problematic. To address some of the questions regarding childhood obesity and the risks for obesity-related health problems such as diabetes, this project will survey American Indian parents with a modified dietary intake/physical activity questionnaire used successfully at the Albuquerque Indian Hospital (personal communication, W. Park Gloyd, Albuquerque Indian Hospital, 2004). Our specific aims are to:

  1. Examine how American Indian parents perceive the weight of their children and ascertain the concordance of that perception with actual body mass index (BMI);
  2. Determine to what extent American Indian parents recognize the health risks of childhood obesity, particularly the association of childhood obesity with the development of diabetes; and
  3. Assess if selected demographic and health characteristics, such as gender of the child or parent BMI or diabetes, are associated with perceptions of the child’s weight or parental understanding of the health risks of childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is difficult to treat (Jelalian, 1999) so considerable efforts must target prevention. Studies to assess American Indian parental and caregiver perceptions of overweight as a health risk for their children are urgently needed. These will help to design culturally sensitive interventions for Native communities and to inform strategies to help parents and families modify misperceptions about excess weight in their children.