Abstract
In developing countries, obesity traditionally affectsmore affluent children, butis spreading to a wider social group. Understanding the perceivedcontributors can provide valuable insights to plan preventive interventions. We exploreddifferences in the perceived causes of childhood obesity between local and migrant communities in a major Chinese city. We conducted 20 focus groups (137 parents, grandparents, school teachers) and 11semi-structured interviews with school Principals from migrant and local communities in Guangzhou. Data were transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach. We found that Lack of influence from grandparents, who were perceived to promote obesogenic behaviorin local children, fewer opportunities for unhealthy snacking and less pressure for academic attainment leading to moreactive play were interpreted as potential “protective” factors among migrant children. Nevertheless, two perceived causes of obesity were more pronounced in migrant than local children: lack of parental monitoring after-school andunsafe neighborhoods limiting physical-activity. Two barriers that restricted child physical activity were only found in the migrant community: limited home space, and cultural differences, inhabitinginteractive play with local children. Future interventions should consider uniquedeterminants of obesity in children from different social backgrounds, with tailored strategies to prevent further rise of the epidemic.
Highlights
Following economic reform in the late 20th Century, China has undergone rapid socio-economic transition[1]
In a recent cross-sectional study undertaken in the city of Guangzhou (n = 9917, children aged between 5 and 12 years), we found that 14.3% of migrant children were either overweight or obese, the prevalence was higher (20%) among local children[12]
We explored the differentperceived influenceson diet and physical activity behaviors which affect levels ofobesity in children amonglocal and migrant communities living in a major city in southern China
Summary
Following economic reform in the late 20th Century, China has undergone rapid socio-economic transition[1]. This has resulted in accelerated urbanization as well as rural-to-urban and interprovincial migration, with large cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen being the key migrant destinations[2,3,4]. Differences in perceived causes of childhood obesity between migrant and local communities in China burden of lifestyle related non-communicable diseases(NCDs)[5,6]. The majority of current migration health research has concentrated on infectious or transmitted diseases, mental illness, occupational health and healthcare system reform[7,8], with little focus on NCDs such as obesity
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