ORIGINAL RESEARCH
American Indian Parents鈥� Assessment of and Concern About Their Kindergarten Child鈥檚 Weight Status, South Dakota, 2005-2006
| Level of Concern | Measured Weight Status of Child | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Underweight (n = 18) | Normal Weight (n = 268) | Overweight (n = 61) | Obese (n = 12) | Extremely Obese (n = 51) | |
| Not concerned, % | 55.6 | 72.8 | 86.9 | 50.0 | 43.1 |
| A little concerned, % | 27.8 | 17.5 | 8.2 | 25.0 | 29.4 |
| Concerned, % | 16.7 | 8.2 | 4.9 | 25.0 | 11.8 |
| Very concerned, % | 0 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 15.7 |
Figure 1. Parents’ level of concern about their child’s current weight status and child’s measured weight among American Indians, South Dakota, 2005-2006. Weight status was based on body mass index percentiles from the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Growth Charts (20). Very underweight: <5th percentile; underweight: 5th to ≤15th percentile; normal weight: 15th to <85th percentile; overweight: 85th to <95th percentile; obese: 95th percentile to <97th percentile; extremely obese: ≥97th percentile. The categories “very underweight” and “underweight” were combined. Parents were unaware of child’s measured height and weight.
| Level of Concern | Parents鈥� Assessment of Child鈥檚 Weight | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Underweight (n = 38) | Right Weight (n = 330) | Slightly Overweight (n = 38) | Very Overweight (n = 4) | |
| Not concerned, % | 31.6 | 79.7 | 29.0 | 0 |
| A little concerned, % | 42.1 | 12.1 | 50.0 | 0 |
| Concerned, % | 21.0 | 7.3 | 10.5 | 25.0 |
| Very concerned, % | 5.3 | 0.9 | 10.5 | 75.0 |
Figure 2. Parents’ level of concern about their child’s current weight status and assessment of child鈥檚 weight among American Indians, South Dakota, 2005-2006. The categories “slightly underweight” and “very underweight” were combined.
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