"The First Step to Changing Something": Addressing Latinx Childhood Obesity through Photovoice.

BACKGROUND

Latinx children in immigrant families have disproportionately high obesity rates; effective obesity treatment for this subset of Latinx children is critically needed.

OBJECTIVES

To inform the development of weight management interventions we explored: 1) community facilitators and barriers to achieving childhood healthy weight through photovoice; and 2) participant reflections on the photovoice process.

METHODS

Photovoice was conducted using established methods in a local church. After photovoice, participants completed semi-structured interviews to reflect on their experience. Transcripts were analyzed using a general thematic analysis approach to arrive at preliminary themes, which were presented to participants for validation. Participant input was used to finalize the themes.

RESULTS

Six adults and two youth Latinx immigrants identified photograph themes over seven sessions. Four themes emerged regarding community barriers and facilitators to achieving childhood healthy weight: 1) family habits, 2) cultural influences on food, 3) built environment, and 4) food marketing. Participant reflections revealed they were motivated to participate in photovoice to learn more about health, recognized personal growth as a result of group sharing, valued representation as a community, and felt empowered to be role models.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings from both photovoice and participant reflections reinforced the need for multi-level approaches to treating childhood obesity. Though participant reflections were gathered to inform continued engagement of Latinx families, they ultimately had a significant impact on our conclusions about priority intervention components.