{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.05598755832037325, 'fraction_numerical': 0.04743390357698289, 'mean_word_length': 4.771300448430493, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 1, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Altered perception of the nutritional status of preschoolers by their parents: A risk factor for overweight and obesity.

INTRODUCTION
Many parents have a misperception of their children's body size; in general, they underestimate overweight and obesity.


OBJECTIVE
To identify the difference between parents' perception of their children's nutritional status and measured body mass index.


POPULATION AND METHODS
To identify the difference between parents' perception of their children's nutritional status and measured body mass index.


RESULTS
A total of 605 children and their parents were assessed. Seventy-four (12.2%) were overweight and 87 were obese (14.3%). There were 161 overweight or obese children, but 98.8% (159) of parents underestimated their children's nutritional status. Parents' underperception of their children's body size accounted for an OR= 2.1 ± 0.5, p= 0.002 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32-3.32) for obesity and an OR = 4.42 ± 1.2, p < 0.001 (95% CI: 2.631-7.439) for overweight.


CONCLUSIONS
Among parents of overweight and obese children, 98.8% (159) underestimated their children's weight status. Such underestimation by parents may be a significant risk factor for the development and/or persistence of overweight and obesity in their children.