title: Latino church leaders' perspectives on childhood obesity prevention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of obesity among Latino children is an increasing concern. Churches are settings that a majority of Latino families frequent on a regular basis. In addition to religious worship, churches supply social, emotional, and material support. Therefore, churches may be promising venues for obesity-prevention interventions engaging families and communities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To qualitatively examine Latino church leaders' perspectives on childhood obesity and insights on obesity-prevention programming in faith-based community settings in South Texas.
  
  
  METHODS
  In-depth interviews were conducted between 2009 and 2011 with a purposive sample of 35 Latino church leaders from 18 churches in San Antonio, Texas. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Inductive analysis was performed to identify themes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that participants were knowledgeable about the severity and health consequences of childhood obesity, and the extent to which it was affecting members of their congregations. Participants discussed the interconnection between one's faith and health (i.e., one's body as "God's Temple"). They suggested that churches could serve as a conduit for obesity-prevention programs that offer faith-oriented health education, cooking classes, and fun physical activity opportunities for both parents and children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals the strong potential of faith-based communities to serve as an intervention setting with the needed infrastructure for implementing effective obesity-prevention strategies.
authors: Department of Health and Kinesiology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA. meizi.he@utsa.edu
authors: Meizi
authors: M
authors: He
authors: Summer
authors: S
authors: Wilmoth
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Bustos
authors: Timothy
authors: T
authors: Jones
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Leeds
authors: Zenong
authors: Z
authors: Yin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003469:Culture; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012067:Religion; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas