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Title 'Children eat all things here': a qualitative study of mothers' perceptions and cultural beliefs about underweight and overweight children and adolescents in selected communities in two Nigerian states
Full text https://dspace.library.uu.nl/handle/1874/446185
Date 2022
Author(s) Adeomi, Adeleye Abiodun; Fatusi, Adesegun; Klipstein-Grobusch, Kerstin
Contributor(s) Global Health; Circulatory Health; JC onderzoeksprogramma Cardiovasculaire Epidemiologie
Abstract INTRODUCTION: The perception of mothers about causes of underweight and overweight among children or adolescents and associated cultural beliefs may influence nutritional status. However, data from qualitative studies on this subject and regarding age 6-19 are scarce in Nigeria. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore mothers' perceptions and cultural beliefs about underweight and overweight children and adolescents in selected communities in a northern and a southern Nigerian state. DESIGN: This was a qualitative study using focus group discussions (FGD). Eight FGD sessions were held. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and the transcripts were coded and analysed using NVivo V.11, and direct quotations representing the themes generated from the perspectives were cited as appropriate. SETTING: The study was carried out in eight randomly selected rural and urban communities in Gombe and Osun states of Nigeria. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-six mothers of children and adolescents aged 6-19 years. RESULTS: The mothers identified concepts, causes and community experience of underweight and overweight children and adolescents, however, some gaps and misconceptions were observed. These included perspectives that suggest a limited understanding of the concepts of mild and moderate malnutrition and stunting and citing of 'witches and wizards' as causes of malnutrition. The mothers observed that being underweight was more prevalent in rural communities of Osun and Gombe states, while overweight was more prevalent in urban communities in Osun state. The majority of the women reported no known food taboo or restrictions, and no cultural beliefs relating to the nutrition of children and adolescents. CONCLUSION: Gaps and misconceptions exist in the perceptions of mothers on underweight and overweight children and adolescents. Food taboos, food restrictions and other cultural beliefs were not reported by majority of the mothers. Educational programmes for mothers on child/adolescent nutrition should target identified gaps and misconceptions.
Subject(s) Community child health; Nutrition; PUBLIC HEALTH; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; General Medicine
Language en
Relation 2044-6055
Type of publication Article
Format application/pdf
Rights info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess
Identifier BMJ Open 12(4), 1-8 (2022)
Repository Utrecht - University of Utrecht
Added to C-A: 2024-05-08;09:40:07