Parental Misperception of Their Child's Body Weight Status Impedes the Assessment of the Child's Lifestyle Behaviors

Table 3

Comparison of physical activity level and fitness of children within a given body weight group perceived accurately or not.

	Underweight			Normal weight			Overweight/obese
	UW(=)	UW(+)	𝑃 value	NW(=)	NW(−)	𝑃 value	OW/OB(=)	OW/OB(−)	𝑃 value
In your opinion, how physically active is your child compared to other children the same age and sex? †
Much or moderately more	15 (41)	10 (22)	.064	235 (33)	52 (39)	.161	7 (15)	58 (37)	.004
Equally, moderately or much less	22 (59)	36 (78)		475 (67)	80 (61)		40 (85)	97 (63)
In the last 12 months, outside of school hours, how often has your child taken part in sports with a coach or instructor (except dance or gymnastics)? §
Most days or a few times a week	4 (11)	7 (15)	.556	108 (15)	18 (14)	.646	9 (19)	23 (15)	.478
About once a week or less	33 (89)	39 (85)		603 (85)	114 (86)		38 (81)	132 (85)
In the last 12 months, outside of school hours, how often has your child taken lessons or instruction in other organized physical activities with a coach or instructor such as dance, gymnastics, martial arts or circus arts? §
Most days or a few times a week	4 (11)	4 (9)	.746	55 (8)	9 (7)	.715	5 (11)	11 (7)	.431
About once a week or less	33 (89)	42 (91)		656 (92)	123 (93)		42 (89)	144 (93)
In the last 12 months, outside of school hours, how often has your child taken part in unorganized sports or physical activities without a coach or instructors? §
Most days or a few times a week	19 (51)	34 (74)	.034	478 (67)	81 (61)	.190	27 (57)	99 (64)	.426
About once a week or less	18 (49)	12 (26)		233 (33)	51 (39)		20 (43)	56 (36)
Compared to other children of your child’s age and sex, how do you consider the physical fitness level of your child? †
Much or moderately more	12 (32)	6 (13)	.033	231 (33)	49 (67)	.304	9 (19)	54 (35)	.042
Equally, moderately or much less	25 (68)	40 (87)		479 (67)	83 (63)		38 (81)	101 (65)
Measured physical fitness §
Sit ups	7.3; (5.6–9.1); 𝑛=36	6.4; (5.6–9.1); 𝑛=44	.370	7.4; (7.1–7.8); 𝑛=674	6.7; (5.7–7.6); 𝑛=121	.105	5.2; (3.8–6.5); 𝑛=45	6.4; (5.6–7.1); 𝑛=137	.128
Long jump	88.7; (80.4–96.9); 𝑛=35	87.5; (80.9–94.1); 𝑛=46	.823	96.3; (94.5–98.1); 𝑛=691	94.6; (89.9–99.2); 𝑛=125	.474	84.7; (77.9–91.4); 𝑛=46	92.0; (87.8–96.3); 𝑛=144	.084

Categorical values are 𝑛 (% per category of parental perception, i.e., −, = or +); continuous values are mean score (95% confidence interval) UW: underweight; NW: normal weight; OW/OB: overweight or obese; (−): perceived leaner than they are; (=): perceived accurately; (+): perceived bigger than they are. †: subjective assessment; §: objective assessment.