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Sociocultural and Environmental Influences on Brazilian Immigrant Mothers’ Beliefs and Practices Related to Child Feeding and Weight Status

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Abstract

Background Length of residence in the United States (US), changes in dietary and physical activity behaviors, and economic and social barriers contribute to high childhood obesity rates among children from immigrant families in the US. Brazilians comprise a fast-growing immigrant population group in the US, yet little research has focused on health issues affecting Brazilian children in immigrant families. Understanding sociocultural and environmental influences on parents’ beliefs and practices related to child feeding and weight status is essential to altering obesity trends in this group. Methods Qualitative study consisting of five focus groups with a convenience sample of 29 Brazilian immigrant mothers. Results Analyses revealed that the sociocultural and environment transitions faced by Brazilian immigrant mothers’ influence their beliefs and practices related to child feeding and weight status. Additionally, acculturation emerged as a factor affecting mothers’ feeding practices and their children’s eating habits, with mothers preferring Brazilian food environments and that their children preferring American food environments. Mothers viewed themselves as being responsible for promoting and maintaining their children’s healthy eating and feeding behaviors, but changes in their social and cultural environments due to immigration and the pressures and demands of raising a family in a new country make this difficult. Conclusions Health promotion interventions to improve healthful eating and feeding practices of Brazilian children in immigrant families must account for social and cultural changes and daily life demands due to immigration as well as potential variation in the levels of acculturation between mothers and their children.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the mothers who participated in this study, and are also grateful for the assistance of personnel at the Saint Anthony Churches in Allston/Brighton and Somerville, MA, and Igreja Evangelica Louvai of Framingham, MA. Dr. RSM was supported by a scholarship from the Brazilian National Council for Research and Development. The funding was provided by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico.

Funding

Joseph P. Healey Grant, University of Massachusetts Boston.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise and Health Sciences Department, Harvard School of Public Health, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02125, USA

    Ana Cristina Lindsay

  2. Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA

    Sherrie F. Wallington

  3. Health Studies and Department of Kinesiology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA

    Mary L. Greaney

  4. Department of Social Nutrition, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Maria H. Hasselman & Raquel S. Mezzavilla

  5. Department of Community Health, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Marcia M. T. Machado

  6. University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Barbara M. Detro

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  1. Ana Cristina Lindsay
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Correspondence to Ana Cristina Lindsay.

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Appendix

Appendix

See Table 1.

Table 1 Levels of influence on Brazilian immigrant mothers’ beliefs and concerns related to child weight status and feeding practices by the socio-ecological model (N = 29)
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Lindsay, A.C., Wallington, S.F., Greaney, M.L. et al. Sociocultural and Environmental Influences on Brazilian Immigrant Mothers’ Beliefs and Practices Related to Child Feeding and Weight Status. Matern Child Health J 21, 1085–1094 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-016-2207-6

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