Perceptions of health risk among parents of overweight children: A cross-sectional study within a cohort

•Parents that recognise child overweight are more likely to perceive a related risk.•Perception of health risk is associated with greater weight and age of the child.•Parents may acknowledge their child is overweight but not perceive a health risk.

ObjectiveTo identify the socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics associated with perceptions of weight-related health risk among the parents of overweight children.MethodsBaseline data from a cohort of parents of children aged 4–11 years in five areas in England in 2010–2011 were analysed; the sample was restricted to parents of overweight children (body mass index ≥ 91st centile of UK 1990 reference; n = 579). Associations between respondent characteristics and parental perception of health risk associated with their child's weight were examined using logistic regression analyses.ResultsMost parents (79%) did not perceive their child's weight to be a health risk. Perception of a health risk was associated with recognition of the child's overweight status (OR 10.59, 95% CI 5.51 to 20.34), having an obese child (OR 4.21, 95% CI 2.28 to 7.77), and having an older child (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.32 to 5.41). However, 41% of parents who considered their child to be overweight did not perceive a health risk.ConclusionsParents that recognise their child's overweight status, and the parents of obese and older children, are more likely to perceive a risk. However, many parents that acknowledge their child is overweight do not perceive a related health risk.