Parent Perceptions of Child Weight Status in Mexican-Origin Immigrant Families: An Investigation of Acculturation, Stress, and Coping Factors

This study examined acculturation, stress, coping, and involuntary responses to stress and their relation to estimation of child’s weight status among Mexican-origin immigrant families. Eighty-six families provided data on chi ld’s height and weight, caregiver’s perception of their child’s weight status, and caregiver’s responses to acculturation, stress, and coping scales. Parents underestimated their child’s weight status, particularly when the child was overweight or obese. Although acculturation and stress w ere not associated with accuracy, parents’ responses to stress were linked to parent perceptions. Parents who reported more frequent use of involuntary engagement (e.g., rumination, physiological arousal) were more accurate. Future research, as well as healthcare providers, should consider how par ents manage and respond to stress in order to fully understand the factors that explain weight perceptions among Mexican-origin immigrant parents.
Source: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: research