Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Child Feeding Practices and Overweight Status Among Mexican Immigrant Families

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose was to compare maternal perceptions, feeding practices, and overweight status of children in immigrant households in California (US) with a cohort in Guanajuato, Mexico (MX). In 2006, staff interviewed mothers and weighed and measured their children, 1–6 years (US: n = 95 and MX: n = 200). Prevalence of overweight [body mass index z-score (BMIZ) >1.0 and <1.65] and obesity (BMIZ > 1.65) was 21.1 and 28.4 % in the US respectively, compared to 11.5 and 12.9 % in MX (p < 0.001). No differences were observed in maternal ability to identify correctly the child’s weight status or ever being told the child was overweight. US children ate away from home more often (p < 0.0001), had fewer family meals (p < 0.0001), and played outdoors less often than MX children (p < 0.0002). Further analyses should examine how differences in eating and activity patterns explain the disparity in childhood obesity across the countries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, et al. Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents, 1999–2010. JAMA. 2012;307(5):483–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Centro de Investigaciones en Nutrición y Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (ENSANUT 2012).

  3. Harrison K, Bost K, McBride B, et al. Toward a developmental conceptualization of contributors to overweight and obesity in childhood: the Six-Cs model. Child Dev Perspect. 2011;5(1):50–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Elder JP, Ayala GX, Parra-Medina D, et al. Health communication in the Latino community: issues and approaches. Annu Rev Public Health. 2009;30:227–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Melgar-Quinonez HR, Kaiser LL. Relationship of child-feeding practices to overweight in low-income Mexican–American preschool-aged children. J Am Diet Assoc. 2004;104:1110–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Jones-Smith JC, Fernald LC, Neufeld LM. Birth size and accelerated growth during infancy are associated with increased odds of childhood overweight in Mexican children. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007;107:2061–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Ward CL. Parental perceptions of childhood overweight in the Mexican American population: an integrative review. J Sch Nurs. 2008;24:407–16.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Killion L, Hughes SO, Wendt JC, et al. Minority mothers’ perceptions of children’s body size. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2006;1:96–102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Rhee KE, De Lago CW, Arscott-Mills T, et al. Factors associated with parental readiness to make changes for overweight children. Pediatrics. 2005;116:e94–101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Tyler DO. Overweight and perceived health in Mexican American children: a pilot study in a central texas community. J Sch Nurs. 2004;20:285–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hennessy E, Hughes SO, Goldberg JP, et al. Parent behavior and child weight status among a diverse group of underserved rural families. Appetite. 2010;54(2):369–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Tovar A, Hennessy E, Pirie A, et al. Feeding styles and child weight status among recent immigrant mother-child dyads. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2012;9(1):62.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hughes SO, Power TG, Orlet Fisher J, Mueller S, Nicklas TA. Revisiting a neglected construct: parenting styles in a child-feeding context. Appetite. 2005;44(1):83–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Hoerr SL, Hughes SO, Fisher JO, Nicklas TA, Liu Y, Shewchuk RM. Associations among parental feeding styles and children’s food intake in families with limited incomes. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2009;6:55.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Kaiser LL, Melgar-Quinonez HR, Lamp CL, Johns MC, Harwood JO. Acculturation of Mexican–American mothers influences child feeding strategies. J Am Diet Assoc. 2001;101(5):542–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Ariza AJ, Chen EH, Binns HJ, et al. Risk factors for overweight in five- to six-year-old Hispanic-American children: a pilot study. J Urban Health. 2004;81:150–61.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Ayala GX, Baquero B, Arredondo EM, et al. Association between family variables and Mexican American children’s dietary behaviors. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007;39:62–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Duerksen SC, Elder JP, Arredondo EM, et al. Family restaurant choices are associated with child and adult overweight status in Mexican-American families. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007;107:849–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Matheson DM, Robinson TN, Varady A, et al. Do Mexican-American mothers’ food-related parenting practices influence their children’s weight and dietary intake? J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106:1861–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Rosas LG, Harley K, Fernald LC, et al. Dietary associations of household food insecurity among children of Mexican descent: results of a binational study. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:2001–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Ayala GX, Baquero B, Klinger S. A systematic review of the relationship between acculturation and diet among Latinos in the United States: implications for future research. J Am Diet Assoc. 2008;108:1330–44.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Ghaddar S, Brown CJ, Pagan JA, et al. Acculturation and healthy lifestyle habits among Hispanics in United States-Mexico border communities. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2010;28:190–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Perez-Escamilla R, Putnik P. The role of acculturation in nutrition, lifestyle, and incidence of type 2 diabetes among Latinos. J Nutr. 2007;137:860–70.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kaiser L. What can binational studies reveal about acculturation, food insecurity, and diet? J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:1997–2000.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Perez-Escamilla R. Dietary quality among Latinos: is acculturation making us sick? J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:988–91.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Carrera PM, Gao X, Tucker KL. A study of dietary patterns in the Mexican-American population and their association with obesity. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007;107:1735–42.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Rosas LG, Guendelman S, Harley K, et al. Factors associated with overweight and obesity among children of Mexican descent: results of a binational study. J Immigr Minor Health. 2011;13:169–80.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Kaiser LL, Melgar-Quinonez H, Townsend MS, et al. Food insecurity and food supplies in Latino households with young children. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2003;35:148–53.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Melgar-Quiñonez HL, Zubieta AC, Valdez E, Whitelaw B, Kaiser L. Validación de un instrumento para monitorear seguridad alimenticia en la Sierra de Manántlan Jalisco Salud Pública de México 2005; 47: 413–422.

  30. Kaiser LL, Melgar-Quinonez HR, Lamp CL, et al. Acculturation of Mexican-American mothers influences child feeding strategies. J Am Diet Assoc. 2001;101:542–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Centers for Disease Control National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) Survey: anthropometry procedures manual. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/nhanes_07_08/manual_an.pdf. Accessed October 30, 2012, 2007.

  32. Kuczmarski RJ, Ogden CL, Guo SS. 2000 CDC growth charts for the United States: Methods and development. Vital Health Statistics: National Center for Health Statistics; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Krebs NF, Himes JH, Jacobson D, et al. Assessment of child and adolescent overweight and obesity. Pediatrics. 2007;120(Suppl 4):S193–228.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Guendelman S, Fernald LC, Neufeld LM, et al. Maternal perceptions of early childhood ideal body weight differ among Mexican-origin mothers residing in Mexico compared to California. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010;110:222–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Dewey KG. Is breastfeeding protective against child obesity? J Hum Lact. 2003;19:9–18.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Harley K, Stamm NL, Eskenazzi B. The effect of time in US on the duration of brestfeeding in women of Mexican descent. Matern Child Health J. 2007;11(2):119–25.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Gonzalez-Cossio T, Rivera-Dommarco J, Moreno-Macias H, et al. Poor compliance with appropriate feeding practices in children under 2 y in Mexico. J Nutr. 2006;136:2928–33.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Menella JA, Turnbull B, Ziegler PJ, Martinez H. Infant feeding practices and early flavor experiences in Mexican infants: an intra-cultural study. J Am Dietary Assoc. 2005;105:908–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. O’Malley B, Brown AC, Tale M, Hertzler AA, Rojas MH. Infant feeding practices of migrant farm laborers in northern Colorado. J Am Dietary Assoc. 1991;91:1084–8.

    Google Scholar 

  40. American Academy of Pediatrics. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics. 2012;129(3):e827–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank UC-Mexus for provide the funds to conduct this binational research, to Blanca Arias, Dolores Ávalos, Elsa López, Carolina Álvarez and Sofia Torres for all the wonderful field work on this research in US and MX. Especially thank all of the migrant families that shared with us their information.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Nutrition, University of Guanajuato, Blvd. Puente del Milenio #1001 Fracción del Predio de San Carlos, 37670, León, Guanajuato, Mexico

    Luz Elvia Vera-Becerra

  2. Lopez Consulting, Emeritus-University of California, 1595 Kathryn Lane, Bellingham, WA, 98229, USA

    Martha L. Lopez

  3. Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Lucia L. Kaiser

Authors
  1. Luz Elvia Vera-Becerra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Martha L. Lopez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lucia L. Kaiser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luz Elvia Vera-Becerra.

Appendix

Appendix

See Table 5.

Table 5 Infant feeding practices and maternal perception of child’s diet and weight
Full size table

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Vera-Becerra, L.E., Lopez, M.L. & Kaiser, L.L. Child Feeding Practices and Overweight Status Among Mexican Immigrant Families. J Immigrant Minority Health 17, 375–382 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9879-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-013-9879-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation