Reaching low-income families: Focus group results provide direction for a behavioral approach to WIC services

Perceptions of Employed Parents About Early Childhood Obesity and the Need for Prevention Strategies

“…This is consistent with the results of a qualitative study on 41 low-income mothers, who requested practical information and interactive activities to learn how to purchase and prepare healthy food (Birkett, Johnson, Thompson, & Oberg, 2004). Another qualitative study on 20 rural low-income caregivers of toddlers reported that caregivers wanted to attend classes in which they could learn how to prepare simple meals (Omar, Coleman, & Hoerr, 2001).…”

A Social Ecological Perspective of the Influential Factors for Food Access Described by Low-Income Seniors

“…12,19,20 To meet the specific food security needs of older adults, current understandings and advocacy for family food security at a community level 17,21 need to be translated into the specific needs of older adults and into community strategies to meet these needs. This is 28 JOURNAL OF HUNGER & ENVIRONMENTAL NUTRITION especially important in Canada where no national or provincial programs exist to support the food security of older adults. A conceptual model has been developed to enable the understanding of the multidimensional nature of food security in the older adult.…”

“…The social ecological model with its concepts and interplay of interpersonal, intrapersonal, and environmental factors has been used to describe, implement, and evaluate nutrition programs; [25][26][27][28] its explicit use to understand the experience of food security, especially in low-income seniors has not been completed although it appears to be a relevant model for understanding this context. Accordingly, this exploratory, descriptive, qualitative study was conducted to (1) identify the resources for and constraints to food intake in low-income seniors in an urban area, specifically the interpersonal and environmental influences, and (2) identify the potential gaps or needs for community services to support food access for these seniors.…”

Using Focus Group Results to Inform Preschool Childhood Obesity Prevention Programming

“…For example, an early focus group study of childhood obesity including mothers who were non-Hispanic African American and European American found a maternal general lack of concern about infant obesity if the child was not exhibiting health problems (Baughcum et al 1998). A 2004 study of 15 white, 15 African American, 6 Native American, 3 Asian and 2 Hispanic women participating in six focus groups found that the key barriers to promoting healthy nutrition in young children were mostly knowledge and skill based, suggesting that some barriers may be overcome by education and training (Birkett et al 2004). Thus, maternal feeding practices, and also maternal behaviors related to promoting physical activity, are appropriate targets of childhood obesity prevention programs*that ideally will both educate and provide opportunities for behavioral change.…”