My Weight Ruler: A simple and effective tool to enhance parental understanding of child weight status

• Published in: Preventive medicine Vol. 57; no. 5; pp. 550 - 554
• Main Authors: Cloutier, Michelle M., Lucuara-Revelo, Paula, Wakefield, Dorothy B., Gorin, Amy A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.11.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Body weight; Body Weights and Measures - methods; Carers; Child, Preschool; Childhood obesity; Children; Comprehension; Connecticut; Female; Focus Groups; General aspects; Growth Charts; Health education; Health Education - methods; Humans; Ideal Body Weight; Identification; Internal Medicine; Low income people; Male; Medical sciences; Minorities; Minority Groups - education; Miscellaneous; Parents - education; Pediatric Obesity - diagnosis; Pediatric Obesity - prevention & control; Poverty; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Weight status; Connecticut; USA, Arkansas; Focus groups; Childhood obesity; Weight status; Minorities; Health education; Human; Obesity; Parent; Nutrition disorder; Comprehension; Knowledge; Weight; Minority; Child; Focus group; Nutritional status; Tool
• ISSN: 0091-7435; 1096-0260; 1096-0260
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.07.014

To compare caregiver identification and understanding of body mass index percentile (BMI%) using the CDC Growth Chart and a newly adapted BMI ruler (“My Weight Ruler”). Between October 2009 and March 2010, eight focus groups with 27 low-income, minority caregivers with children 2–4years of age were conducted to choose a meaningful tool to explain child weight status. A within-subject experiment comparing identification and interpretation of 2 BMI% plots (50th and 97th%) using the CDC Growth Chart and the selected tool was performed in February 2012 with 251 primary caregivers of children 2–4years in a primary care clinic. Caregivers chose the “BMI Ruler” a tool used in Arkansas, recommended culturally-responsive descriptors of weight status and renamed it “My Weight Ruler”. 92% of caregivers reported having previously been explained the CDC Growth Chart; 37% correctly identified both plots. In contrast, 92% of caregivers correctly identified both plots on the My Weight Ruler and many interpreted the 97th% plot as a health risk and need to change behavior. My Weight Ruler is a simple, easily understood tool of weight status for low-income, minority primary caregivers and could enhance parental knowledge and understanding of child weight status. •Parents often underestimate their child's weight status.•Parents do not understand their child's weight status using CDC growth charts.•The My Weight Ruler can enhance parental understanding of children's weight status.•The My Weight Ruler can motivate parents to change behavior.