Overweight moms often don’t notice their children’s chubbiness, and overweight young people are likely to underestimate their own weight, too, according to two studies. In one, mothers of 3- to 6-year-olds were shown nine silhouettes, representing different ages, genders, and body mass indexes. Overweight mothers of overweight children were less likely to pick a body shape that accurately depicted their child. The other study found that 61 percent of overweight boys and 31 percent of overweight girls with an average age of 12 listed their weight as normal or underweight.
Sources: Pediatrics, July 2009; BMC Public Health, June 12, 2009