Abstract
Given that health behaviors occur within the context of familial social relationships, a deeper understanding of social factors that influence health behaviors in Latinx families is needed to develop more effective diabetes prevention programming. This qualitative study identified perceived family-level social factors that influence health behaviors in Latinx adolescents (12–16 years; N = 16) and young adults (18–24 years; N = 15) with obesity and explored differences in perceptions across sex and age. Participants completed an in-depth interview that was recorded, transcribed, and coded using thematic content analysis. Emergent themes central to health behaviors included: perceived parental roles and responsibilities, perceived family social support for health behaviors, and familial social relationships. Mom’s role as primary caregiver and dad’s role as a hard worker were seen as barriers to engaging in health behaviors among adolescent females and young adults, males and females. Adolescents perceived receiving more support compared to young adults and males perceived receiving more support compared to females. Health behaviors in both age groups were shaped through early familial social interactions around physical activity. These insights suggest that traditional gender roles, social support, and social interaction around health behaviors are critical components for family-based diabetes prevention programs in high-risk Latinx youth and young adults.
Highlights
Latino adolescents with obesity have the highest lifetime risk for developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) [1] and exhibit higher rates of prediabetes compared to non-Latino white adolescents (22.6% vs. 11.3%) [2,3]
Interviews were conducted among 16 adolescents and 15 young adults and each interview lasted about an average of 30 min (22–47 min)
Mom’s role as the primary caregiver was an important influence on health behaviors; caregiving responsibilities presented barriers to spending time with mom for adolescent females, and young adult females discussed transitioning into this caregiving role, which limited opportunities to be active
Summary
Latino adolescents with obesity have the highest lifetime risk for developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) [1] and exhibit higher rates of prediabetes compared to non-Latino white adolescents (22.6% vs. 11.3%) [2,3]. Adolescence is an important life stage where changes in pubertal insulin resistance, body composition, and decreased physical activity can impact future health trajectories [4]. Prediabetes in adolescence significantly increases diabetes risk as youth transition into young adulthood [5,6] and it is estimated that 40% of young adults with prediabetes convert to overt T2D within five years [7,8]. To address growing T2D disparities, there is a need for targeted, evidence-based diabetes prevention strategies, during the transitional life stage of adolescence to young adulthood. Few diabetes prevention programs have been developed for Latinx adolescents and young adults [9,10].
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