TY - JOUR
T1 - Weight and Health-Focused Conversations in Racially/Ethnically Diverse Households With and Without a Child With Overweight/Obesity
AU - Berge, Jerica M.
AU - Trofholz, Amanda
AU - Danner, Christine
AU - Brandenburg, Dana
AU - Pusalavidyasagar, Snigdhasmrithi
AU - Loth, Katie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Psychological Association
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Studies indicate parent conversations focused on child weight, shape, or size are associated with unhealthy child weight and weight-related behaviors, whereas health-focused conversations are not. Little research has examined what these types of conversations sound like, how parents respond to them, and whether households with or without a child with overweight/obesity approach these conversations differently. This study used qualitative data to identify the weight and health-focused conversations occurring in racially/ethnically diverse households. Children aged 5–7 years and their families (n = 150) from 6 racial/ethnic groups (i.e., African American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali, White) participated in this mixed-methods study. Results showed that parents from households with and without a child with overweight/obesity engaged in similar weight and health-focused conversations (qualitative themes = focus on growth; health consequences of having overweight/obesity; focus on dietary intake and physical activity; being direct about weight, shape, or size; mixing weight and health-focused conversations). In addition, findings showed that parents also engaged in different types of weight and health-focused conversations, depending on whether the household had a child with overweight/obesity (qualitative themes = weight-based teasing; critiquing own weight) or without overweight/obesity (qualitative themes = differences in body shape and size are the norm; focus on modeling rather than talking). Results may be useful for informing public health interventions and for health care providers working with parents regarding weight and health-focused conversations occurring in home environments of diverse children.
AB - Studies indicate parent conversations focused on child weight, shape, or size are associated with unhealthy child weight and weight-related behaviors, whereas health-focused conversations are not. Little research has examined what these types of conversations sound like, how parents respond to them, and whether households with or without a child with overweight/obesity approach these conversations differently. This study used qualitative data to identify the weight and health-focused conversations occurring in racially/ethnically diverse households. Children aged 5–7 years and their families (n = 150) from 6 racial/ethnic groups (i.e., African American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali, White) participated in this mixed-methods study. Results showed that parents from households with and without a child with overweight/obesity engaged in similar weight and health-focused conversations (qualitative themes = focus on growth; health consequences of having overweight/obesity; focus on dietary intake and physical activity; being direct about weight, shape, or size; mixing weight and health-focused conversations). In addition, findings showed that parents also engaged in different types of weight and health-focused conversations, depending on whether the household had a child with overweight/obesity (qualitative themes = weight-based teasing; critiquing own weight) or without overweight/obesity (qualitative themes = differences in body shape and size are the norm; focus on modeling rather than talking). Results may be useful for informing public health interventions and for health care providers working with parents regarding weight and health-focused conversations occurring in home environments of diverse children.
KW - diverse
KW - health conversations
KW - parent/child
KW - weight conversations
KW - weight stigma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85169604287&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85169604287&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/sah0000268
DO - 10.1037/sah0000268
M3 - Article
C2 - 37274810
AN - SCOPUS:85169604287
SN - 2376-6972
VL - 8
SP - 139
EP - 149
JO - Stigma and Health
JF - Stigma and Health
IS - 2
ER -