Current Beverage Feeding

Hispanic Caregiver Perceptions of
Water Intake Recommendations
for Young Children and Their
Current Beverage Feeding
Practices
Maryann Mason1,2, Sarah B. Welch1, and Miguel Morales3
Abstract
Hispanic children in the United States are at high risk of obesity. Sugar-sweetened beverage
consumption (SSB) is a modifiable contributor to obesity. Hispanic children are more likely to
drink SSB than non-Hispanic white children. The main goal of the study was to explore caregiver
beverage feeding behaviors and evaluate reactions to water intake recommendations for
children birth to five years old in a diverse U.S. Hispanic urban community. Findings will be used
to develop community- and population-specific intervention messaging for obesity prevention
for this population. The study used a qualitative focus group design using constant comparison
coding methods. Participants included 35 Hispanic caregivers of children aged 0–5 years living in
a low-income, predominantly Hispanic community in Chicago, Illinois. We found young children
in this community drink a variety of SSBs and caregivers choose beverages based on cost,
availability, health, and behavioral concerns. Participants report altering beverages for a variety
of reasons, family member disagreement regarding beverage feeding practices, and older family
members’ influence on children’s preferences. Puerto Rican and Mexican American participants
differed in the range of beverages provided, concerns regarding water intake, and beverage
alteration and feeding practices. Caregivers universally believe the recommended water intake
amount of four six-ounce servings daily for children is too high. Findings will inform message
development to reduce SSB intake and increase water consumption among young children in
this community. Messaging should be ethnic group specific, target all family members, build
on current beverage alteration practices, and include nutrition information specific to young
children.
Keywords
children, health promotion, family, sugar-sweetened beverages, obesity prevention
1Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children, Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith Child Helath Research Program,
Children’s Hospital of Chicago Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA
2Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chicago, IL, USA
3Formerly With the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, Chicago, IL, USA
Corresponding Author:
Maryann Mason, Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children, Mary Ann and J. Milburn Smith Child Health
Research Program, Children’s Hospital of Chicago Research Center and Northwestern University, Feinberg School of
Medicine, Department of Pediatrics 225 E. Chicago Ave., Box 157, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Email: mmason@luriechildrens.org
526718JAXXXX10.1177/1936724414526718Journal of Applied Social ScienceMason et al.
research-article201436 Journal of Applied Social Science 9(1)
Introduction
Childhood obesity is a serious public health problem in the United States. Low-income and racial/
ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected; 14.6 percent of low-income preschoolaged children (two to four years of age) are obese (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
[CDC] 2009), and 18.5 percent of low-income Hispanic preschoolers are obese. Obese preschoolaged children are at higher risk of becoming obese adults (Guo and Chumlea 1999).
Experts recommend obesity prevention among young children as the optimal approach to
stem this trend (Berkowitz and Borchard 2009). Children learn health habits when they are young
and are strongly influenced by family environments including availability of foods and rules for
consumption (Westenhoefer 2002). Thus, many obesity prevention efforts have been directed
toward young children and their families. The high rate of obesity among Hispanic children and
the need for prevention among young children heighten the importance of understanding and
effectively influencing the drivers of Hispanic family practices relative to healthy lifestyle
behaviors.
Increasing