SOCIAL VARIATION IN ATTITUDES TO OBESITY IN CHILDREN

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate variations in children's attitudes to obesity i n relation to age, gender and social class. DESIGN: Evaluation of sex, age and social class differences in judgements of figure drawings var ying in body shape. SUBJECTS: 180 children aged from 4-11 from six sch ools, varying in the social background of their pupils. MEASUREMENTS: Self ratings of body shape, choices of ideal body shape now and in adu lthood from a range of line drawings of figures varying in fatness, an d behavioural and personality stereotype judgements of illustrations o f thin, average and fat children. RESULTS: Few children in this age gr oup were fat and few felt too fat; though a substantial minority felt too thin, Girls selected thinner ideal figures than boys, Children dem onstrated strongly negative attitudes to obesity, which were less favo urable among those who were older and from the higher social status sc hools. CONCLUSION: There are significant social variations in attitude s to obesity which might be important in understanding variations in t he prevalence of obesity and weight control practices.