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Healthcare professionals' perceptions of childhood obesity in Iquitos, Peru: a qualitative study
Jo F Lai1, Joanne Clarke2, Gilles de Wildt2
1College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. jyfr.lai@gmail.com.
Insights
Healthcare professionals in Iquitos, Peru, show low concern for childhood obesity, prioritizing undernutrition. Parental factors are key, but HCPs feel limited influence due to cultural views and engagement challenges.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Global Health
Background:
- Childhood obesity presents a significant global health challenge with long-term consequences.
- Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are crucial in addressing childhood obesity, yet research is limited in middle-income countries like Peru.
- Peru exhibits regional disparities in childhood obesity, with Iquitos showing lower prevalence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore healthcare professionals' (HCPs) perceptions of childhood obesity in Iquitos, Peru.
- To understand local attitudes, perceived causes, and the role of HCPs in childhood obesity prevention and management within a specific cultural context.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study involving 21 purposively recruited HCPs with child healthcare experience.
- Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with a translator and audio-recorded.
- Thematic analysis was employed to analyze transcribed interview data.
Main Results:
- HCPs expressed low concern for childhood obesity, prioritizing undernutrition, and identified parental factors as most influential.
- Perceived barriers included cultural acceptance of excess weight and difficulties in parental engagement.
- HCPs viewed educating parents and regular child growth monitoring as essential for prevention and management.
Conclusions:
- Childhood obesity is perceived differently in Iquitos, with undernutrition being a higher priority for HCPs.
- Targeted public health strategies sensitive to local perceptions and barriers are needed to address potential increases in childhood obesity.
- Interventions should focus on parental education and integrated healthcare approaches, considering cultural nuances.
Background:
Childhood obesity is an urgent worldwide concern associated with increased morbidity in adulthood. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are well placed to influence childhood obesity trends and implement interventions. English-language studies regarding HCPs' perceptions of childhood obesity are limited to high-income countries. Peru is an upper-middle-income country with regional disparities in childhood obesity prevalence. This qualitative study aims to explore HCPs' perceptions of childhood obesity in Iquitos, Peru, where prevalence is relatively low.
Methods:
Twenty-one HCPs with child healthcare experience were purposively recruited from two primary healthcare centres. Semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted with a translator and audio recorded. Transcribed data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results:
Eight themes were identified and divided into four categories: (1) HCPs' perceptions and attitudes towards childhood obesity (level of concern regarding childhood obesity, perceived consequences of childhood obesity); (2) Factors which HCPs perceive to be important in the development of childhood obesity (parental factors, contextual factors); (3) HCPs' perceptions of their role in childhood obesity prevention and management (educating parents about childhood obesity, regular monitoring of child growth); and (4) Barriers and facilitators in childhood obesity prevention and management (in healthcare, in schools).
Conclusions:
HCPs had a low level of concern regarding childhood obesity in Iquitos and prioritised undernutrition. Parental factors were perceived to be the most influential in the development of childhood obesity. HCPs perceived themselves to have minimal influence due to prevailing positive views of excess weight and difficulties engaging parents. Educating parents about childhood obesity was felt to be essential to prevention and management although regular monitoring of child growth and home healthcare visits were viewed as useful additional measures. This study can help to inform the development of targeted public health strategies which are sensitive to local contexts and could prevent the upward childhood obesity trends evident elsewhere in Peru.
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