Parents' and boys' perceptions of boys' body size for average and high BMI boys

A study on 49 preadolescent boys and their parents was performed to determine if differences existed in boys' body esteem and body size perceptions and to determine how accurately parents perceive their sons' body size. The boys were grouped by their body mass index (BMI) into average and high BMI groups. The boys completed the Body Esteem Scale; the boys and the parents rated the boys' body size perceptions. No differences were found in the boys' body esteem. The boys in the high BMI group perceived themselves as bigger than the boys in the average BMI group, and the parents of the boys with a high BMI perceived their sons as bigger. The boys in the high BMI group rated their current figure as heavier than their ideal figure. The results supported that the boys and the parents were aware of the boys' current body size. However, the parents of the boys with high BMI were more accepting of a larger ideal body figure.