Body image and weight: association between parents' perception and the body adiposity of South American children: SAYCARE Cohort Study

Abstract

The perception of the body image is the result of the self-perception of the body by the mind. This complex phenomenon, which extends to all life cycles, involves cognitive, affective, social/cultural, and motor aspects. The perception of the body image is related to the estimation of size and appearance of the body and the feelings and attitudes towards the body. In children, the first perceptions made by parents and are related to eating behavior and establishing an excellent emotional environment. Image perception and body weight can be evaluated from scales and compared with anthropometric indicators since discordant image perceptions can lead to negative psychosocial and behavioral consequences. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aims to (I) describe parents 'perceptions of their children's body image and body weight, and (II) test the association between parents' image perceptions and body adiposity. The study will be carried out in seven cities in South America (Buenos Aires, Lima, Medellín, Montevideo, Santiago, São Paulo, and Teresina), based on a questionnaire applied to parents of children aged 3 to 10 years. To evaluate the perception of the body image, we will use the scale of figures of Gardner. Different anthropometric measures will estimate body fat: weight, height, body mass index (kg / m2), circumference (waist, hip, and neck) and skin folds (biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac). In both methodologies, the children will be classified in thinness, adequate weight, overweight, and obesity. For the statistical analysis, descriptive analyzes (mean, median, standard deviation and proportions) will be used to respond to the objective I and chi-square test to test the association between the variables and, thus, to respond to purpose II. The confidence interval adopted will be 95%, with the criterion of statistical significance ± = 5%.