Many don’t see offspring’s obesity

A survey has found that many Americans whose children are obese do not see them that way, said Dr. Matthew M. Davis, a University of Michigan professor of pediatrics and internal medicine who led the study.

Among parents with an obese, or extremely overweight, child ages 6 to 11, 43% said their child was “about the right weight,” 37% responded “slightly overweight,” and 13% said “very overweight.” Others said “slightly underweight.”

For those with an obese child ages 12 to 17, the survey found more awareness that weight was a problem. Fifty-six percent said their child was “slightly overweight,” 31% responded “very overweight,” 11% said “about the right weight” and others said “slightly underweight.”