Description
Latinos are the fastest growing racial/ethnic minority population in the United States and have experienced a disproportionate increase in adult and child obesity, compared to the general population. In 2009-2010 the prevalence of obesity among Latino children was almost 1.5 times that of non-Hispanic white children. These statistics are particularly concerning because of the many obesity-related health consequences for both adults and children. Energy intake is a significant determinant of obesity. Grocery shopping behaviors impact dietary intake and quality, which, in turn, impact weight status and health outcomes. Compared to the general U.S. consumer market, Latinos make up to three times more grocery shopping trips per week and co-shop more frequently, most often with children. Latino grocery shoppers are also 50% more likely to be influenced by children than non-Hispanic grocery shoppers. Parents readily acknowledge that children influence their purchasing decisions, however they consistently underestimate the degree of child influence. Any given parent-child co-shopping trip provides many opportunities for food purchasing related parent-child interactions. Children's primary method of influencing purchase outcomes is the purchase influence attempt (PIA), such as asking nicely, negotiating, or begging for an item. Other prominent moderators of purchase outcome include child age, co-shopping frequency, child movement restriction, monthly household income, and parent- vs. child-initiated interactions. Beyond these moderators, cultural beliefs regarding child-feeding and child-rearing practices can influence parent-child interactions. As examined in this study, understanding Latino parent-child interactions during grocery shopping can inform future interventions to reduce obesity and its associated disease burden among Latinos. The aims of the study were to: (1) identify the number, type, and success of child PIAs; (2) examine how various factors, such as child age, co-shopping frequency, child movement restriction, monthly household income, parent- vs. child-initiation, and acculturation moderate the number, type, and success of PIAs; and (3) examine the validity of self-report by comparing the number of purchases made due to the child's request as reported by the parent with those observed during the shopping trip. The study employed a mixed methods design that included two brief interviews and a single observation to assess the influence of Latino parent-child interactions on grocery store purchases among 100 dyads. The total number of exchanges per interactions was significantly different between those that resulted in purchase and those that did not. Parent self-report was significantly different from those documented by observers, however parents over-reported the number of items purchased at the child's request. The remaining results were largely inconsistent with previous findings, but may be explained, in part, by parent feeding style among Latinos. Overall, the results support three key conclusions: (1) PCIs can consist of several exchanges, so it is necessary to examine beyond the first exchange to understand mechanisms of influence; (2) observation and self-report methods should be used together in order to obtain an accurate representation of actual behaviors and perceived influence; and (3) further research of Latino PCIs is warranted to understand discrepancies between the present findings and previous studies.
