Panel Discussion 3: Mother-daughter interventions promoting healthy weight in diverse communities: Targeting family dynamics across the lifespan

The role of family relationships, particularly those of mother-daughters, in influencing health behaviors is significant across the lifespan. This panel will present findings from three interventions designed to promote physical activity and healthy eating among mother-daughter pairs at different developmental stages. The first panelist will present an intervention involving Latina pre-adolescent daughters and their mothers, emphasizing the development of healthy habits through family-based approaches during this critical formative stage. The second panelist will present a weight maintenance intervention involving Black mothers and their teenage daughters, focusing on race-conscious, culturally relevant strategies to address the unique barriers and facilitators of physical activity and healthy eating in this population. Finally, the third panelist will present a weight management intervention addressing relational functioning in Mexican American mothers and daughters in young adulthood.

Each intervention is tailored to the specific developmental and cultural contexts of the participants, incorporating evidence-based strategies to enhance engagement and effectiveness. Each intervention targets the unique family dynamics that each developmental stage brings. The outcomes of these interventions are being assessed through self-report and objective measures, including changes in physical activity levels, dietary behaviors, psychosocial factors such as self-efficacy, and mother-daughter communication. Additionally, the research explores the sustainability of these health behaviors post-intervention and the impact of the interventions on broader family dynamics.

This presentation will provide an in-depth analysis of the outcomes, highlighting the successes and challenges of each intervention. The discussion will focus on the implications for future research and practice in designing family-centered health interventions adapted to different cultural and developmental contexts. By understanding the nuances of how mother-daughter relationships can be leveraged to promote health across the lifespan, this research contributes valuable insights into the development of more effective public health strategies aimed at reducing disparities and improving health outcomes for women and girls.

Co-Presenter -   Student
San Diego State University

Co-Presenter - Monique Reed PhD  Student
Rush University Medical Center College of Nursing

Co-Presenter - Becky Marquez PhD MPH  Student
University of California San Diego

The role of family relationships, particularly those of mother-daughters, in influencing health behaviors is significant across the lifespan. This panel will present findings from three interventions designed to promote physical activity and healthy eating among mother-daughter pairs at different developmental stages. The first panelist will present an intervention involving Latina pre-adolescent daughters and their mothers, emphasizing the development of healthy habits through family-based approaches during this critical formative stage. The second panelist will present a weight maintenance intervention involving Black mothers and their teenage daughters, focusing on race-conscious, culturally relevant strategies to address the unique barriers and facilitators of physical activity and healthy eating in this population. Finally, the third panelist will present a weight management intervention addressing relational functioning in Mexican American mothers and daughters in young adulthood.

Each intervention is tailored to the specific developmental and cultural contexts of the participants, incorporating evidence-based strategies to enhance engagement and effectiveness. Each intervention targets the unique family dynamics that each developmental stage brings. The outcomes of these interventions are being assessed through self-report and objective measures, including changes in physical activity levels, dietary behaviors, psychosocial factors such as self-efficacy, and mother-daughter communication. Additionally, the research explores the sustainability of these health behaviors post-intervention and the impact of the interventions on broader family dynamics.

This presentation will provide an in-depth analysis of the outcomes, highlighting the successes and challenges of each intervention. The discussion will focus on the implications for future research and practice in designing family-centered health interventions adapted to different cultural and developmental contexts. By understanding the nuances of how mother-daughter relationships can be leveraged to promote health across the lifespan, this research contributes valuable insights into the development of more effective public health strategies aimed at reducing disparities and improving health outcomes for women and girls.

Co-Presenter - Elva Arredondo,
San Diego State University

Co-Presenter - Monique Reed, PhD, PhD,
Rush University Medical Center College of Nursing

Co-Presenter - Becky Marquez, PhD MPH, PhD MPH,
University of California San Diego