Gathering around the table: Negotiating family mealtime patterns among Latino families

Abstract

Objective With increasing obesity prevalence among Latino families, it is imperative to understand mealtime dynamics and how to support families in healthier mealtime routines. Background Family mealtimes are an important context for negotiating and making decisions about what and how much to eat and learning dietary behaviors. Yet little research exists on how Latino parents make those decisions. Methods Addressing current gaps in the literature, we conducted three focus groups with 19 low‐income Latina mothers of children who ranged from elementary to high school age. We explored mothers' family mealtime experiences in their home country and in the United States, barriers to shared mealtimes, and knowledge of appropriate portion sizes. Results Several key findings emerged: (a) Latina mothers recollect sharing family mealtimes more in their home countries than in the United States, (b) work schedules make it difficult to engage in family mealtimes, (c) uncertainty about correct portion sizes and child influence lead mothers to give in to their children's preferences. Conclusion and Implications These findings add to the substantive discussion concerning changes in family mealtimes across borders, continued barriers that families encounter to shared mealtimes, and how knowledge of portion sizes influences mother's beliefs and food choices, ultimately impacting the type of foods children consume.

Cultural Influences on Family Mealtime Routines in Mexico: Focus Group Study with Mexican Mothers

“…In terms of maintaining family meals, participants noted a shift towards weekend mealtimes as a way to spend time together as a whole family and to deal with work and time conflicts throughout the week. These findings parallel other research conducted in the United States examining the mealtime environment with Hispanic families [ 33 , 34 ]. Weekend mealtimes often allowed more family members to be present.…”

“…Mothers shared that fathers and children play a larger role in mealtime logistics and the home food environment today, determining the types of foods eaten in the home and often creating barriers to healthy eating. This builds upon other research conducted with Hispanics that have migrated to the United States, in which mothers play a fundamental role in household shopping and cooking (e.g., [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]), as mothers are natural household leaders when it comes to meal planning, cooking, and mealtime routines. However, both fathers and children can counteract this leadership, making unhealthy food requests and challenging the mother’s authority in purchasing and cooking choices [ 35 , 36 ].…”