Author:

• Ana Cristina Lindsay - Lindsay, A.C - boston - harvard school of public health - <alindsay@hsph.harvard.edu>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2520-0493

Co-author(s):

• Mabel Ferraro - Ferraro, Mabel - Universidad de Buenos Aires - <ferrarom@yahoo.com>

Thematic Area:

Alimentação, Nutrição e Saúde

Abstract:

Objectives: This qualitative study of low-income mothers in Buenos Aires, Argentina examines the influences of socioeconomics, organizational structures, familial relationships, and food insecurity on child feeding practices and weight status perceptions.
Methods: Thirty-eight mothers of preschool children living in urban Buenos Aires participated in four focus group discussions.
Results: Content analysis revealed fourteen sub-themes under four main topic areas: 1) mothers’ perceptions of their children’s overall health, weight status, and understanding of obesity; 2) mothers’ child feeding practices and related beliefs; 3) socio-demographic, socio-cultural, and environmental influences on child feeding practices; and 4) issues related to household food insecurity.
Work demands, family pressures, food insecurity, and financial concerns had significant influences on child feeding practices. Food assistance programs were reported as having a large role in the lives of many low-income families, yet several described a strong social stigma that is associated with enrolling in such services.
Conclusion: These findings have important implications for food assistance strategies that could benefit from incorporating health and nutrition education opportunities into programs in order to address the nutrition transition in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Keywords:

qualitaive research mothers child feeding Argentina food insecurity

Content:

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