Anthropometric Measurements, Portion Sizes usually Consumed, and Body Image Perception of Native American Children

Abstract

The prevalence of overweight and type 2 diabetes in Native American (NA) children has increased. Over the past decades, the portion sizes consumed by Americans have increased. The purpose of the present study was to determine anthropometric measurements, body perception, and the portion sizes usually consumed by NA children at the 2003 Wellness Adventures Camp. A descriptive design was used. The present study included 45 NA children with a mean age of 11 years. The percent NA blood quantum was 14% 13%. Approximately half of the children were normal weight and the remaining half were at risk of overweight (34%) or overweight (18%). Approximately 1/3 of the children at camp reported that they usually consumed the large hamburger portion. Most (64%) of the participants usually consumed the 12-ounce soda pop. The majority of children (76%) chose the large portion of orange juice (16 fluid ounces) as their usual portion size. There was a significant and positive correlation between carrot and orange juice portion usually consumed (Spearman's rho = .37, p<.05). There was also a positive correlation between hamburger portion and potato chip portion usually consumed (rho = .29, p<.05). No significant association was found between body size "looks like me" and the "researcher opinion" of the body size. Girls and boys selected a "favorite body size" (3.1 for girls and 3.4 for boys) that was significantly smaller than the body size "looks like me" (3.8 for girls and 3.9 for boys) at p <.01. The current research found that many NA children were overweight and were eating large portion sizes for some foods, and may want to be thinner. These results support the need to educate NA children on healthy portion sizes and to explore further the issue of body size perception.