Comunicaciones orales

https://doi.org/10.37527/2021.71.S1

CO 070. WHERE DO BRAZILIAN IMMIGRANT PARENTS OBTAIN INFORMATION TO SUPPORT HEALTHFUL ENERGY BALANCE-RELATED BEHAVIORS OF THEIR PRESCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN?: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Ana Cristina Lindsay1, Thais Caires1, Qun Le2, Denise Lima Nogueira3, Marcia María Tavares Machado3, Mary L. Greaney4.

1University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, United States, 2Rutgers State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, United States, 3Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil, 4University of Rhode Island, Kingston, US


Background. The preschool years are an important period for obesity prevention as this is when young children’s healthful energy balance-related behaviors are forming. Brazilians are a growing population in the United States and there is a lack of obesity prevention interventions focusing on Brazilian children. To develop these interventions, information is needed about parents’ perceptions of importance and the information sources used.

Objective. Therefore, this study assessed Brazilian immigrant parents’ perception of the importance of EBRBs and sources used to obtain information to support the healthful EBRBs of their preschool-age children.

Methods. Community-based cross-sectional survey.

Results. Fifty-two immigrant parents, most classified as having low acculturation levels participated. Approximately 41% and 28% of mothers and fathers, self-reported being overweight. Parents perceived reducing consumption of unhealthy foods (51.8%), reducing sugar-sweetened beverage intake (38.5%), and limiting screen time (34.5%) as being the most important EBRBs. Parents also reported that pediatricians (98.1%), nurses (76.9%), and WIC professionals (64.5%) were the main sources used for EBRBs information, followed by family members (50%), other parents (44.2%), and internet (38.5%).

Conclusions. Given that only about 50-20% of parents perceived healthful EBRBs as important and that pediatric healthcare providers were the main sources of information suggests that these professionals are well-positioned to raise awareness, facilitate communication, provide increased education and guidance about the importance of early EBRBs in the prevention of childhood obesity. Moreover, future mobile health interventions designed to meet the needs of Brazilian immigrant parents should consider the involvement and endorsement of pediatric healthcare providers.

Keywords: energy balance-related behaviors, parents, Brazilian, immigrant, preschool, obesity.