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“A Little On The Heavy Side”: A Qualitative Analysis Of Parents' And Grandparents' Perceptions Of Preschoolers' Body Weights, Karin Eli, Kyndal Howell, Philip Fisher, Paulina Nowicka

Karin Eli

Objectives: Parents’ difficulties in perceiving children's weight status accurately pose a barrier for family-based obesity interventions; however, the factors underlying weight misinterpretation still need to be identified. This study's objective was to examine parents and grandparents’ perceptions of preschoolers’ body sizes. Interview questions also explored perceptions of parental responsibility for childhood obesity and appropriate contexts in which to discuss preschoolers’ weights. Design: Semistructured interviews, which were videotaped, transcribed and analysed qualitatively. Setting: Eugene and the Springfield metropolitan area, Oregon, USA Participants: Families of children aged 3–5 years were recruited in February—May 2011 through advertisements about the study, published in the …