Healthcare providers' perceptions of the factors contributing to infant obesity in a low-income Mexican American community.
OBJECTIVE
To examine healthcare professionals' perceptions of Mexican American infant feeding practices and obesity.


METHODS
Five provider focus groups (n = 38 providers) were conducted in two agencies in the Denver area on the topic of contributors to childhood obesity in the Mexican American community.


RESULTS
Healthcare providers believe obesity in Mexican American infants is related to: (a) a chubby baby being a healthy baby, (b) introducing complementary foods early, (c) extended family members' infant feeding practices, (d) offering infants high-calorie foods, and (e) prolonged bottle feeding and sweet beverages. Providers reported ambivalence regarding their role in addressing infant obesity.


CONCLUSIONS
Healthcare providers working with Mexican American families should deliver consistent, culturally specified messages regarding infant feeding and activity practices.
Johnson
Susan L
SL
The Healthy Youth and Families Initiative, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, School of Medicine, Denver, CO, USA. susan.johnson@uchsc.edu
Clark
Lauren
L
Goree
Kristen
K
O'Connor
Mary
M
Zimmer
Lorena Marquez
LM
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003120:Colorado; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000208:ethnology*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017058:Mexican Americans; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011203:Poverty; D011368:Professional-Family Relations