Understanding Weight Talk in Racially/Ethnically Diverse Homes: A Qualitative Analysis With Parents

Abstract

ObjectiveTo explore weight talk in the homes of racially/ethnically diverse immigrant/refugee children and their families. DesignQualitative interviews were conducted with parents of young children. SettingTwin Cities, Minnesota. ParticipantsParents from 150 families (25 families each from White, Black, Latino, Hmong, Native American, and Somali households) were recruited from primary care clinics. Eligibility criteria included: participating parent lived with a child aged 5–7 years, shared a meal with this child at least daily, and had another child living in the home. Main Outcome MeasuresWeight talk (ie, weight-related conversations, teasing), intergenerational transmission of weight talk. AnalysisQualitative content analysis using Nvivo software. ResultsThemes were found for each of our 4 research questions. Themes included: (1) parents experienced weight talk in their own homes growing up; (2) parents believed their community or culture influenced weight talk in their home; (3) parents described different ways of approaching weight talk, including not discussing weight, being direct about weight, and playful teasing; and (4) parents described various strategies for addressing concerns about their children's weight. Conclusions and ImplicationsResults suggested weight and health were salient issues for racially/ethnically diverse parents. Further research is needed to investigate why some parents engage in weight teasing, what prompts weight teasing, and the differences between weight- and health-focused conversations to identify potential targets for intervention. Recommendations for health providers working with families with young children, such as training using nonstigmatizing language, are discussed.