Sunday, December 11, 2011

Too few doctors may be telling parents their kids are overweight

Parents can sometimes be clueless about the fact that their kids are too heavy, but doctors may not be steering them in the right direction. A study finds that less than a fourth of parents recollect their healthcare providers telling them their children were overweight.

From 1999 to 2008, 4,985 parents of children age 2 to 15 who had a body mass index in the 85th percentile or higher were asked if they had ever been told by a physician or health professional that their child was overweight.

Overall, 22.4% of parents reported they'd been told. Percentages tended to be higher among minorities, older children, poorer children and those who had public insurance and logged more healthcare visits.

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