Özet:

Objective: To evaluate the degree of knowledge about body perception in children and their respective mothers. Materials and Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study that assessed the nutritional status of 136 individuals, 68 children of both sexes (7 to 14 years old) and their respective mothers (n=68), users of the Unified Health System from the city of Conceição do Mato Dentro-MG. A verbal survey of perception of the nutritional status proposed by Garcia (2015) was used, where the relationship between maternal knowledge about her own nutritional status and her child's nutritional status was assessed through mistakes and successes. Results: 35% of boys were overweight and obese, and 27% of the girls were at this level. In female children, 43% wrongly classified their own body image. Of these, 32% overestimated their own weight, 12% underestimated their own weight and 57% got their own body image right. In male children, 58% of those evaluated misclassified their own body image, of which 38% underestimated their own weight and 22% overestimated their own weight. Only 42% were right about the relationship between body image and their actual Body Mass Index. Among mothers, 42% are obese and 29% are considered overweight, and 52% hit their own body image. The boys' mothers got 46% correct body perception in relation to the child. Regarding the girls' mothers, only 44% were right. Of the errors, 16% underestimated the weight of daughters and 40% overestimated the weight of daughters Conclusion: It is essential to know maternal perception about the impact of obesity on their children's lives, as it is necessary to involve these caregivers in the prevention and treatment of obesity.

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