Current Barriers of Obesity Management of Children Using Community Child Care Centers and Potential Possibility of Utilizing Mobile Phones: A Qualitative Study for Children and Caregivers

Abstract

Objectives: This study was performed to identify the current barriers of obesity management for children using Community Child Care Centers and their caregivers (parents and teachers working in the Centers). Further, this study explored the possibility of utilizing a mobile phone application for tailored obesity prevention and management programs to overcome the current difficulties associated with children's obesity management. Methods: The qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 obese and overweight children or children who wanted to participate in this study using Community Child Care Centers, 12 teachers working at the Centers, and a focus group interview with five parents of children using the Centers. Data were analyzed with a thematic approach categorizing themes and sub-themes based on the transcripts. Results: The current barriers of obesity management of obese and overweight children using Community Child Care Centers were lack of self-directed motivation regarding obesity management (chronic obesity-induced lifestyles and reduced self-confidence due to stigma) and lack of support from households and Community Child Care Centers (latchkey child, inconsistency in dietary guidance between the Center and household, repetitive pressure to eat, and absence of regular nutrition education). Mobile phone applications may have potential to overcome the current barriers by providing handy and interesting obesity management based on visual media (real-time tracking of lifestyles using behavior records and social support using gamification), environmental support (supplementation of parental care and network-based education between the Community Child Care Center and household), and individualized intervention (encouragement of tailored and gradual changes in eating habits and tailored goal setting). It is predicted that the real-time mobile phone program will provide information for improving nutritional knowledge and behavioral skills as well as lead to sustainable children's coping strategies regarding obesity management. In addition, it is expected that environmental factors may be improved by network-based education between the Community Child Care Centers and households using the characteristics of mobile phones, which are free from space and time constraints. Conclusions: The tailored education program for children using Community Child Care Centers based on mobile phones may prevent and reduce childhood obesity by overcoming the current barriers of obesity management for children, providing environmental and individualized support to promote healthy lifestyles and quality of life in the future.

An Interactive Live and Online Cooking Program for Children in Vulnerable Families—An Exploratory Study

“…The program considered a way to make the program applicable at home by selecting food/dishes that children can easily cook and do not require a separate cooking space. This aspect will allow both CCCCs and households to improve the dietary care and each other’s relationship by the digital technology [ 32 ]. To maximize these expected effects, it is necessary to expand the program in terms of frequency and target participants in the future by reflecting ‘the need for having more cooking programs that use digital technology’, as expressed by the participants.…”

“…So far, limited research has focused on non-face-to-face improvement of eating habits for children from low-income families in Korea, except for the study by Lee et al [ 32 ], which examined the use of mobile phone application to provide nutrition education and tailored diet information for the improvement of children’s eating habits. Beyond the attempt of mobile phone intervention, proper utilization of digital instrument(s) to help children learn healthy eating knowledge or practice has seldom found in the country, despite Korean government provided vulnerable children with computer devices and allowed free internet access for educational purposes [ 33 ].…”

Effects of Multidisciplinary Health Promotion Program Among Children in Community Childcare Center

“…Recently, there has been an increase in the number of children and adolescents from economically disadvantaged households, such as single-parent families and multicultural backgrounds, attending community childcare centers [ 6 ]. These centers provide various programs, including meals, education, and emotional support, to assist in the physical and psychological changes that can occur during childhood and adolescence [ 7 ]. While some nutrition programs are offered for children and adolescents using community childcare centers [ 8 ], it is often challenging for them to voluntarily choose or effectively implement these programs due to the specific circumstances of the centers [ 9 ].…”