Overcoming initial barriers in implementing faith-based health education programs: Insights from HeartSmarts

Latino church-going parents' insights on childhood obesity prevention

Childhood obesity continues to be a priority health concern in the United States. Faith communities present a viable venue for health promotion programming. The majority of obesity prevention programming focuses on African American populations. Subsequently, insights for obesity prevention programming in Latino faith communities are lacking. This qualitative study aimed to gain insight into Latino church-going parents' perspectives on childhood obesity and faith-based obesity prevention strategies. Participants were Latino church-going parents with children ages 10-18, recruited from predominantly Latino churches in south Texas, United States. Focus groups were conducted with a total of 56 Latino participants from nine churches. Discussions were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Inductive content analysis was performed and assisted by NVivo. Participants were aware of the obesity facing their congregations. Parents' affirmation of the physical body being God's Temple supported the development of obesity prevention programs in faith community settings. Participants suggested integration of spiritual and physical health promotion through health sermons, Bible study, Sunday school, nutrition classes and physical activities for both children and adults. In brief, Latino church-going parents were concerned about childhood obesity and perceived the need for developing obesity prevention programs integrating both faith and health promotion.