Obstacles to preventing obesity in children aged 2 to 5 years: Latino mothers’ and fathers’ experiences and perceptions of their urban environments

International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity

Research

Elena Flores¹  Jeanne M. Tschann²  Emma V. Sanchez-Vaznaugh³  Carlos Penilla⁴  Emily J. Ozer⁴ 

[1] Department of Counseling, University of San Francisco, 2130 Fulton St., 94118, San Francisco, CA, USA;Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0848, 94143-0848, San Francisco, CA, USA;Health Education Department, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, 94132, San Francisco, CA, USA;School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 50 University Hall, 94720-7360, Berkeley, CA, USA;

关键词: Latino;    Childhood obesity;    Parent feeding behavior;    Urban environments;    Fathers;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12966-017-0605-9

 received in 2017-03-15, accepted in 2017-10-20,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThe prevalence of obesity among Latino children is alarmingly high, when compared to non-Latino White children. Low-income Latino parents living in urban areas, even if they are well-educated, face obstacles that shape familial health behaviors. This study used qualitative methods to explore parents’ experiences in providing meals and opportunities to play to their children aged 2 to 5 years. In contrast to most prior studies, this study examined perceptions of familial behaviors among both mothers and fathers.MethodsAn ecological framework for exploring the associations of parental feeding behaviors and children’s weight informed this study. An interview guide was developed to explore parents’ experiences and perceptions about children’s eating and physical activity and administered to six focus groups in a community-based organization in the Mission District of San Francisco. Transcripts were coded and analyzed. Twenty seven mothers and 22 fathers of Latino children ages 2 to 5 participated.ResultsMothers, fathers, and couples reported that employment, day care, neighborhood environments and community relationships were experienced, and perceived as obstacles to promoting health behavior among their children, including drinking water instead of soda and participating in organized playtime with other preschool-age children.ConclusionsResults from this study suggest that the parents’ demographic, social and community characteristics influence what and how they feed their children, as well as how often and the types of opportunities they provide for physical activity, providing further evidence that an ecological framework is useful for guiding research with both mothers and fathers. Mothers and fathers identified numerous community and society-level constraints in their urban environments. The results point to the importance of standardized work hours, resources for day care providers, clean and safe streets and parks, strong community relationships, and reduced access to sugar-sweetened beverages in preventing the development of obesity in preschool-age Latino children.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017