A Qualitative Study of Puerto Rican Parent and ChildPerceptions Regarding Eating Patterns

Correlates of eating behaviors in adolescence: a systematic review of qualitative studies

CONTEXT

Nutrition plays a critical role in adolescence. Adolescents are vulnerable to the impact of different factors that distance them from healthy habits, increasing their risk of chronic diseases in adulthood. Qualitative methodologies allow for a better understanding of these factors.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to consolidate qualitative research evidence from the past 10 years to analyze the facilitators and barriers influencing adolescents' eating behaviors.

DATA SOURCES

Databases searched for relevant studies were Scopus, Medline/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science.

DATA EXTRACTION

A total of 4176 records were identified. The authors used the GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative Research) quality-assessment tool.

RESULTS

Fifty articles with qualitative or mixed methodologies were finally included. The most applied techniques were focus groups and semi-structured interviews. The factors influencing adolescents' diets were classified into 4 dimensions: individual, social, community, and macrosystem factors. The most influential were the following-(1) at the individual level: gender (facilitator or barrier), taste and appearance of food (barrier), and lack of time (barrier); (2) at the social level: parents' and caregivers' influence (facilitator or barrier), peer group influence (barrier), and socioeconomic position (barrier); (3) at the community level: school food environment (facilitator or barrier), neighborhood food environment (barrier), household food environment (facilitator or barrier), food insecurity (barrier), and availability and affordability of ultra-processed foods (barrier); and (4) at the macrosystem level: digital tools (facilitator or barrier).

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review identified several facilitators and barriers influencing eating behaviors among adolescents. Qualitative research provides a rich source of knowledge to inform interventions aimed at improving adolescents' diets. Qualitative research is very useful for collecting researches that help to implement intervention programs that improve adolescent nutrition.

Caregiver Influences on Eating Behaviors in Children: An Opportunity for Preventing Obesity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review seeks to define caregiver practices that impact childhood eating behaviors and identify ways to utilize these relationships to prevent childhood obesity.

RECENT FINDINGS

Childhood obesity, which correlates with adult obesity and increased cardiovascular risk, is increasing in prevalence and severity. Caregivers play a significant role in shaping a child's eating behaviors and their predisposition to obesity. Maternal influences during pregnancy and infancy impact a child's future food preferences. Caregiver feeding styles (authoritarian, authoritative, indulgent, and uninvolved) are associated with distinct effects on children's eating behaviors and self-regulation. Authoritative feeding styles promote child autonomy while setting boundaries in the feeding environment. Early caregiver education and coaching regarding nutrition and feeding practices is beneficial to establishing healthy eating behaviors for children. Various caregivers, including parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers, and others, influence a child's eating habits at different stages of development. These caregivers can both positively and negatively impact a child's diet. Comprehensive interventions involving these various caregivers to promote healthy eating practices in children is ideal. Such interventions should be sensitive to cultural and environmental factors. Childhood obesity is a complex issue with long-term health effects. Early intervention using comprehensive approaches including all caregivers, community support, and public policies to address the social determinants of health will be beneficial. Future research should focus on valid outcome measures and equitable interventions that encompass all aspects of a child's life.

Factors influencing dietary inequalities among adolescents in Madrid and Bilbao: a qualitative research project

OBJECTIVE

To describe the design and methodology of a qualitative study to explore the main factors influencing dietary inequalities in adolescents in Madrid and Bilbao, Spain.

METHOD

The study area included six neighborhoods (three in each city) of different socioeconomic status (SES): low, medium, and high. We sampled 12 secondary schools (six in each city: two per socioeconomic level). Our methodology comprised: 1) developing an ad hoc index to classify all neighborhoods according to their SES; 2) selecting the study area and sample; 3) conducting semi-structured interviews (n=36) and focus groups (n=24). Grounded theory and phenomenological analysis will be employed in data analysis. Initially, we found factors influencing in adolescents' diet such as gender, family environment, and SES.

CONCLUSIONS

Systematizing the selection of neighborhoods and secondary schools, along with using appropriate methods, could serve as a foundation for future studies on health inequalities among adolescents.

How Does the Family Influence Adolescent Eating Habits in Terms of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices? A Global Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies

Promoting healthy eating habits can prevent adolescent obesity in which family may play a significant role. This review synthesized findings from qualitative studies to identify family barriers and facilitators of adolescent healthy eating in terms of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). A literature search of four databases was completed on 31 July 2020; qualitative studies that explored family factors of adolescent (aged 10 to 19 years) eating habits were included. A total of 48 studies were identified, with the majority being from North America and sampled from a single source. Ten themes on how family influences adolescent dietary KAP were found: Knowledge—(1) parental education, (2) parenting style, and (3) family illness experience; Attitudes—(4) family health, (5) cultivation of preference, and (6) family motivation; Practices—(7) home meals and food availability, (8) time and cost, (9) parenting style, and (10) parental practical knowledge and attitudes. This review highlights five parental characteristics underlying food parenting practices which affect adolescents’ KAP on healthy eating. Adolescents with working parents and who are living in low-income families are more vulnerable to unhealthy eating. There is a need to explore cultural-specific family influences on adolescents’ KAP, especially regarding attitudes and food choices in Asian families.