title: Prevalence and Perception of Childhood Obesity in California's Farmworker Communities.
abstract: In California's central valley, childhood obesity rates are above the national average. The majority of families living in the rural, agricultural communities of this region are immigrant of Mexican heritage, and face numerous social and environmental challenges. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected from a population of Mexican-heritage children 3-8 years (N = 609) and families (N = 466) living in two central valley communities. Overall, 45 % of children and 82 % of mothers were classified as overweight or obese. Multivariable analyses indicated that mother's BMI and acculturation level were positively associated with child BMI z-score. Most children classified as overweight or obese (92 % and 53 %, respectively) were perceived as having 'normal' weight by their mothers. Childhood obesity remains a major public health issue in Mexican-heritage, central valley communities. Our model indicates that mother's BMI is predictor of child obesity, and parents tend to underestimate their child's weight status. These findings highlight a need for family-targeted and culturally-tailored approaches to address relevant perceptions of obesity and risk factors in these communities.
authors.affiliation: UC Davis Department of Internal Medicine, 4150 V Street, PSSB Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA. bsadeghi@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Banafsheh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Food Science and Technology Department, Foods For Health Institute, University of California, RMI North Building, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.affiliation: Center for Transnational Health, University of California, Davis, 328 D Street, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Iraklis Erik
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Tseregounis
authors.affiliation: UC Davis, Department of Pediatrics, 2516 Stockton Blvd, Suite 340, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
authors.forename: Alberto L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Aguilera
authors.affiliation: Center for Transnational Health, University of California, Davis, 328 D Street, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Center for Transnational Health, University of California, Davis, 328 D Street, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gomez-Camacho
authors.affiliation: UC Davis, Department of Pediatrics, 2516 Stockton Blvd, Suite 340, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.
authors.forename: Ulfat
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Shaikh
authors.affiliation: Center for Transnational Health, University of California, Davis, 328 D Street, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Mayra Munoz
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.affiliation: Center for Transnational Health, University of California, Davis, 328 D Street, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Whent
authors.affiliation: Center for Transnational Health, University of California, Davis, 328 D Street, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la Torre
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000067565:Farmers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Acculturation; Childhood obesity; Farmworker; Mexican-heritage