Attitudes and Knowledge Regarding Health-Promoting Behavior in Families Facing Food Insecurity

Food insecurity (FI) is common in families with young children. People experiencing FI have worse health outcomes related to behaviors (obesity, diabetes management, etc) than people who are food secure. This study explores strategies that parents on limited incomes use to feed their children, their understanding of nutrition for their children, and the social factors contributing to or alleviating FI.

We conducted key informant interviews with 20 parents of young children from Mesa County, Colorado who were receiving benefits from the Woman, Infants, and Children program. Participants were between 21 and 32 years of age and 9 reported Latinx heritage. Questions addressed parents' understanding of how FI affects their ability to enact healthy behavior and their experience of caring for children while facing FI. Transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach, using Atlas.ti for organization.

Four primary themes emerged: participants have knowledge around healthy behaviors; parents use detailed budgeting schemes to provide for their families; parents are invested in their children's future; and while parents often rely on assistance programs, they also have a strong sense of responsibility to provide.

Parents know what they can do to promote health but face significant obstacles in implementing their knowledge. Assumptions are often made that health behavior is primarily about personal choice and motivation, but system-level factors prevent implementation of healthy behavior.

Parents are aware of the connection between nutrition and outcomes and work to ensure opportunities for good health but are limited by system-level factors.