Citation

Mitola AL, Papas MA, Le K, Fusillo L, Black MM. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2007; 32(1): 42-51.

Affiliation

737 W. Lombard Street, Room 161, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, USA. mblack@peds.umaryland.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jsl004

PMID

16762992

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe body size satisfaction and agreement among low-income, urban, African-American adolescents, and female caregivers. METHODS: Two hundred and fifteen adolescent-caregiver pairs completed measures of demographics, anthropometrics, and body size satisfaction. RESULTS: Adolescent-caregiver agreement on body size satisfaction varied by body mass index (BMI) category. Among normal weight adolescents, 61% of adolescent-caregivers agreed that current body size was ideal. Among adolescents at risk for overweight, 38% of adolescent-caregivers agreed that current body size was ideal, and 38% were discordant with adolescents wanting to be thinner and caregivers satisfied with current body size. Among overweight adolescents, adolescent-caregiver agreement was 67%; 52% agreed the adolescent should be thinner and 15% agreed current body size was ideal. CONCLUSIONS: Body size satisfaction is related to BMI category for adolescents and caregivers, but adolescents have a lower threshold. Encouraging caregivers to elicit their adolescents' views on body size satisfaction may enable caregivers to support their adolescents in addressing weight-related issues.

Language: en