Weight- and Health-focused Conversations in Racially/Ethnically Diverse Households With and Without a Child with...

Area of Science:

• Childhood obesity research
• Family health communication
• Pediatric nutrition

Background:

• Parental conversations about child weight, shape, or size are linked to unhealthy weight and behaviors.
• Limited research exists on the nature of these conversations and how they differ across households with or without children with overweight/obesity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualitatively identify weight- and health-focused conversations in diverse households.
• To explore differences in these conversations based on the presence of a child with overweight/obesity.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative data analysis of conversations in racially/ethnically diverse households (n=150) with children aged 5-7.
• Inclusion of six racial/ethnic groups: African American, Hispanic, Hmong, Native American, Somali, and White.

Main Results:

• Parents in households with and without a child with overweight/obesity engaged in similar weight- and health-focused conversations (e.g., focus on growth, health consequences, diet, physical activity).
• Distinct conversation themes emerged: households with a child with overweight/obesity discussed weight-based teasing and critiquing own weight.
• Households without a child with overweight/obesity normalized body size differences and focused on modeling healthy behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Findings offer insights into diverse family communication patterns regarding child weight and health.
• Results can inform public health interventions and healthcare providers on sensitive weight-related discussions with parents.