title: Perceptions of health status and play activities in parents of overweight Hispanic toddlers and preschoolers.
abstract: Childhood overweight among lower socioeconomic, Hispanic children has increased. Interviews regarding health status and play patterns were conducted with 76 predominantly Hispanic mothers of overweight toddlers and preschoolers served by Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Most participants believed their child was healthy and half were unconcerned about their child's weight. Most parents reported having a safe place to play and access to a playground, although gender differences were found. Access to an outside play area was related to amount of active play activities. Children watched an average of 1.7 hours per day of television. Health professionals must partner with parents to address childhood obesity.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Psychology and Philosophy, Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX 76204, USA. srich@mail.twu.edu
authors.forename: Shannon S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: Nancy M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: DiMarco
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huettig
authors.forename: Eve V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Essery
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.forename: Charlotte F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sanborn
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010988:Play and Playthings; D011203:Poverty