Background: Obesity disparities in Black youth are linked to dietary behaviors that may increase their risk. Obesity prevention programs that emphasize nutrition promotion can help parents create a healthy home food environment and support child obesity prevention. This study explores Black mothers’ perspectives on child involvement in food-related tasks: menu planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.
Methods: This secondary analysis is part of a mixed methods study (online surveys, telephone interviews) conducted with a community advisory board (CAB) of Black mothers with children aged 9-12. CAB members completed surveys about how receptive parents would be to child involvement in menu planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation, while interviews explored their reasoning for being receptive to child involvement in these food-related tasks. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using semi-structured, hybrid thematic analysis. Two coders used codes and definitions from the codebook, met routinely to review codes, and resolved discrepancies. Emergent codes were added and defined in the codebook to address the research question comprehensively. Descriptive statistics were computed for the survey responses.
Results: The CAB (n=15) included Black/African American mothers (100%), 30-39 years old (60%), and married (53.3%). Most mothers were very receptive to child involvement in menu planning (93.3%), grocery shopping (80.0%), and food preparation (86.7%). Key reasons for high receptiveness to child involvement in food-related tasks included the importance of child involvement, reducing parent responsibility, family bonding opportunity, learning about child food preferences, child’s awareness and learning about the process, and child developing independence in food-related tasks. Reasons for low receptiveness to child involvement in food-related tasks included family’s food preferences, convenience of grocery shopping without the child, and a child’s lack of interest in food preparation.
Conclusion: Understanding Black mothers’ perspectives on child involvement in food-related tasks can provide insight on opportunities to tailor nutrition promotion strategies in child obesity prevention programs. Addressing barriers while promoting family engagement can foster healthier home food environments and reduce obesity disparities among Black children and families.