Self-Perception of Body Weight in Schoolchildren in Northeastern Mexico

María Natividad Ávila-Ortiz (), Ana Elisa Castro-Sánchez, Georgina Mayela Núñez-Rocha, Andrea Elizabeth Flores-Sias, Adriana Zambrano-Moreno and Verónica López-Guevara
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María Natividad Ávila-Ortiz: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Nuevo Leon 66455, Mexico
Ana Elisa Castro-Sánchez: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Nuevo Leon 66455, Mexico
Georgina Mayela Núñez-Rocha: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Nuevo Leon 66455, Mexico
Andrea Elizabeth Flores-Sias: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Nuevo Leon 66455, Mexico
Adriana Zambrano-Moreno: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Nuevo Leon 66455, Mexico
Verónica López-Guevara: Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Nuevo Leon 66455, Mexico

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 22, 1-12

Abstract: Mexican schoolchildren are among the individuals most affected by obesity in the world. It has been observed that body-image dissatisfaction has increased in children. We evaluated their body weight perception and its relationship with actual weight; we compared this variable on three different scales according to age and sex and determined the sensitivity and specificity of these scales. This cross-sectional study was conducted with students from public and private schools in Northeastern Mexico. Boys and girls aged 6–12 years ( n = 533) were included in this study. To assess the body weight perception, the following scales were used: (A) Collins (figure rating scale), (B) Eckstein (parents’ perceptions of their child’s weight and health scale), and (C) Truby and Paxton (children’s body image scale). Agreement was evaluated using the Cohen’s kappa test, determining the sensitivity and specificity. Girls and children aged 10–12 years were more likely to perceive themselves adequately (their self-perception corresponds to the figure that indicates their weight status). The children showed increased body-image distortion in the three scales. In terms of sensitivity and specificity, children with overweight or obesity were more precisely identified in scale A, whereas a healthy weight was more clearly identified in scale C.

Keywords: children; perception of weight status; scale; sensitivity; specificity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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