Attitudes of Filipino Women Towards Body Weight in Children

Abstract

Purpose: This study focuses on identifying what body weights Filipino mothers in Silang, Cavite, consider desirable in children, and what their attitudes are towards overweight in children.
Methods: A qualitative research design was chosen to assess personal attitudes. Participants were Filipino mothers residing in Silang, Cavite, from low, average, and above-average income levels. The method planned was a combination of questionnaire and focus group. Personal interviews were also used to collect data from women who were unable to attend a focus group discussion. The questionnaire asked for routine demographic data and included a question asking for identification, from a set of drawings, of desirable body weights for children (ages 4 through 11). During the focus group discussions and interviews, the women were asked why they chose as they did, and their feelings towards the extremes represented. The drawings were used as reference points to discover what the women’s attitudes were towards the range of body weights.
Results: In response to the question of which body weight is desirable for children, the most favorable choice was drawing number three for girls (62%) and boys (57%). For girls, the next most desirable body weight was drawing number four (28%). For boys, the second choice was drawing five (20%), followed closely by drawing four (17%). In the high income category, 50% of women preferred drawing number four for girls, and 67% preferred drawings four or five for boys.
Conclusions: As a whole, the Filipino women represented in this report prefer children to be of the body weight shown by drawing number three. They are aware of the familiar problems of malnutrition, as represented by drawing number one. They are also aware of the health problems associated with obesity, as represented by drawing number seven. There appears to be a preference for greater weight in boys than in girls. There also appears to be a tendency for women of higher income level to choose higher body weights as desirable for both girls and boys. It seems that they feel that a little extra weight in childhood will help to guard against disease. They indicate that this weight will not be permanent, but will easily be lost as children, particularly boys, become more active.
Recommendations: The results of this study may be useful when planning health interventions for overweight children. The apparent preference by women of above average income for greater body weight in children needs to be further investigated, especially as interventions are planned.