One-Third of Obese Children Think They're Thinner than They Are

Many obese and underweight children may think they are healthier than they really are, according to a recent study HealthDay reported.

Researchers found that nearly one-third of obese kids in the United States think they are thinner than they are or think their weight is fine.

"Children who have a misperception of their weight are not going to take steps to control their weight or reduce their weight, and reduce the risk of future health complications," Neda Sarafrazi, lead researcher of the study and a nutritional epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (CDC), told HealthDay. "If people perceive their weight accurately, they can start weight-control behavior."

For the study, researchers collected data from 2005 and 2012 from more than 6,100 kids and teens for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

They found that 42 percent of children and kids classified as obese considered themselves to be about the right weight. Seventy-six of those classified as overweight believed they were about the right weight. Only 13 percent of those classified as being at a healthy weight considered themselves too thin or too fat, USA Today reported.

Previous studies have shown that recognizing obesity can be a crucial step in reversing the major health problem for children and adolescents in the United States. It can also be an important "predictor of later weight-control behaviors," Sarafrazi said.

"When overweight kids underestimate their weight, they are less likely to take steps to reduce their weight or do additional things to control their weight, like adopt healthier eating habits or exercise regularly," Sarafrazi told USA Today. "On the other hand, when normal weight or underweight kids overestimate their weight, they might have unhealthy weight-control behaviors."

According to the CDC, 34 percent of African-American children and teens believe they are thinner than they are, as do 34 percent of Hispanic-American children. Twenty-eight percent of obese white kids also believe they are at a healthy weight.

Nearly 30 percent of all kids and teens misperceive their weight as too fat or too thin, HealthDay reported, citing the CDC.