Do mothers know best? Parental knowledge, perceptions, and roles on the over-nourishment of their children

• Main Author: Cartagena, Roland Sta. Maria
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2008
• Subjects: Overnutrition; Nutrition.; Community Health and Preventive Medicine; Public Health
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3719; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=10557&context=etd_masteral
• Institution: De La Salle University

This is a descriptive quantitative study aimed to describe parental knowledge, perceptions, practices and roles of selected mothers on the over-nutrition of their children in Zamboanga City. The data of the study were derived from the 60 face-to-face structured interviews with 30 mothers coming from the high income level interviewed in the private pediatric clinic and 30 mothers coming from the low income level interviewed in the public pediatric clinic. The respondents were chosen through purposive sampling. The interviews were conducted using an interview schedule. Results of the study showed that most mothers had inadequate childhood over nutrition knowledge. The study also revealed that most mothers displayed more favorable perceptions towards over-nourished children than under-nourished children. They also preferred male over-nourished children. Parenting practices were found to influence over-nourishment in children. Mothers portrayed a protective role that has encouraged sedentary behaviors among their children. The respondents socio demographic characteristics such as age, educational attainment, and occupation differ in terms of the mothers knowledge, perceptions and practices but did not differ in the respondents income status. Mothers who have inadequate knowledge, those who have shown favorable perceptions towards over-nourished children and who have high parenting practices were younger, less educated, and not working.