Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Grant Details

Grant Number: 5R03CA108347-02 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator: Lindsay, Ana
Organization: Harvard School Of Public Health
Project Title: Latina Mothers' Feeding Practices and Child Obesity
Fiscal Year: 2005


Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Increasing prevalence of childhood overweight is a major public health concern, evident in all age groups and social classes. Children from low-income, under-served minority families are at greatest risk. Rapid secular increases in overweight are of concern due to negative health and psychosocial effects during and beyond childhood, as about half of overweight children become obese adults. Health consequences of overweight and obesity include type-2 diabetes, adverse serum lipid and lipoprotein levels, hypertension, and some cancers, including those affecting the reproductive system. Altering trends in chronic disease will require substantive efforts to reduce incidence of childhood overweight, at very early ages. Strategies ultimately successful in addressing childhood overweight in under-served minorities also will require attention to cultural norms that may vary by race/ethnicity. This qualitative study will systematically examine Latina mothers' perceptions of maternal and infant weight status, child-feeding practices, and how these are related to dietary intake and the development of overweight in children. Furthermore, it will assess sociodemographic, social cultural and feeding environment influences on these relationships. An on-going, community-based intervention trial among low-income, multiethnic, postpartum women provides the base to recruit Latina mothers of young children and permits close collaboration with the public health partners in the translation and dissemination of the research results. The design of proposed research consists of qualitative research in 3 sequential phases including: 1) focus groups 2) in-depth interviews and 3) development and pre-testing a child-feeding questionnaire through cognitive interviewing techniques. This research will inform the design of a subsequent large-scale study of social-contextual determinants of childhood overweight in Latino populations and will have important long-term applications in developing nutrition education strategies for child health promotion that adequately account for the socio-cultural context of minority caregivers.



Publications

Using qualitative methods to design a culturally appropriate child feeding questionnaire for low-income, Latina mothers.
Authors: Lindsay A.C. , Sussner K.M. , Greaney M. , Wang M.L. , Davis R. , Peterson K.E. .
Source: Maternal And Child Health Journal, 2012 May; 16(4), p. 860-6.
PMID: 21512780
Related Citations

Latina mothers' beliefs and practices related to weight status, feeding, and the development of child overweight.
Authors: Lindsay A.C. , Sussner K.M. , Greaney M.L. , Peterson K.E. .
Source: Public Health Nursing (boston, Mass.), 2011 Mar-Apr; 28(2), p. 107-18.
PMID: 21442018
Related Citations

Influence of social context on eating, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors of Latina mothers and their preschool-age children.
Authors: Lindsay A.C. , Sussner K.M. , Greaney M.L. , Peterson K.E. .
Source: Health Education & Behavior : The Official Publication Of The Society For Public Health Education, 2009 Feb; 36(1), p. 81-96.
PMID: 18689491
Related Citations

The influence of immigrant status and acculturation on the development of overweight in Latino families: a qualitative study.
Authors: Sussner K.M. , Lindsay A.C. , Greaney M.L. , Peterson K.E. .
Source: Journal Of Immigrant And Minority Health / Center For Minority Public Health, 2008 Dec; 10(6), p. 497-505.
PMID: 18373200
Related Citations



Back to Top