Managing the Everyday Health Puzzle in Swedish Families With Children

Abstract

In this article, issues of children, food, and health are discussed with the help of the concept of a “health puzzle,” which is defined as the many pieces of family life that need to be put together to reach the goal of a healthy family lifestyle. The data derives from a qualitative study, where parents and children in twelve Swedish families were interviewed at three occasions. The aim was to find out how the healthy life of the family is defined, created, and sustained. The healthy family showed to be composed of different practices and drew on values of bodily, emotional, and social well-being. The dilemmas mentioned concerned how to serve “proper food” and have “proper meals,” and making this fit into a tight time schedule. Solutions to the dilemmas were, for example, to prioritize spending time together; to promote healthy eating by having a weekly menu or a fruit bowl available; and to mark the contrast between weekdays and weekends with the help of “Cosy Friday,” “Saturday Sweets,” and an elaborate weekend dinner. Depending on the family economy, working hours, and the number of children's leisure activities, the solutions were mainly dictated by either money or time.