Socio-Cultural, Organizational, and Community Level Influences on Physical Activity Levels of Latino Preschool-Age Children: A Qualitative Study
Pages 27-40
Ana C. Lindsay, Mary L. Greaney, Katarina M. Sussner, M. Erin Pfeiffer and Karen E. Peterson

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2014.03.01.4

Published: 10 March 2014

Abstract: Objectives: As more children grow up in families with immigrant parents of Latino origin, there is a need to understand key influences on physical activity behaviors of young Latino children to prevent obesity in this high-risk group.

Design:We conducted six focus groups with low-income Latina mothers (N = 33) whose preschool-aged children (2-5 years) were enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in Rhode Island. Data was analyzed using content analysis to identify recurrent themes.

Results: Despite understanding the importance of physical activity for overall health, physical activity was not a top priority for the Latino mothers participating in the focus groups. Mothers reported facing numerous barriers to establishing and maintaining healthful physical activity habits for their preschool-aged children and themselves, particularly financial and socio-cultural barriers. Analyses revealed that Latina mothers perceive the WIC as a program focused on the development and maintenance of healthy eating habits and nutritional status of children and not physical activity.

Conclusions: Recognizing the importance of socioeconomic position and the influence of cultural factors on physical activity is essential if effective prevention and intervention programs for Latino families and their children are to be designed. Study findings emphasize the importance of the family as a central unit of change and suggest that successful interventions to promote physical activity of low-income Latino preschool children must take into account the needs and constraints of the family unit as a whole. The WIC program has the potential to be a venue for promoting awareness of and educating low-income Latino parents about the importance of helping their children develop and maintain early healthful physical activity habits. The WIC program can also play an important role in facilitating access and creating programs and services that provide increased opportunities for physical activity of young children and their families.

Amount of Zinc Transferred in Breast Milk to Breastfed Moroccan Babies with Normal or Low Birth Weight at 1, 3 and 6 Months After Birth
Pages 48-54
Ghizlane Choua, Nourddine El Haloui, Khalid El Kari, Hassan Aguenaou and Najat Mokhtar

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2014.03.01.6

Published: 10 March 2014

Abstract: The amount of zinc in breast milk is generally regarded as sufficient to cover the increasing zinc demands of most infants. However, this is not well investigated where stores zinc may be compromised in babies with low birth weight (LBW) who are born with low stores of zinc. In Morocco, this is the first time that the amount of zinc transferred in breast milkhas been estimated. This study included 32 mother-baby pairs. In our case study, we aimed to measure The quantity of zinc in mothers’ breast milk with normal birth weight (NBW) and LBW babies who were exclusively or not exclusively breast fed at 1,3 and 6 month after birth. The results showed that the majority of mothers have a BMI ≥25 kg/m² this means that all mothers are overweight during 6 months after birth.Zinc concentration (mg/l) in mothers’ breast milk decreased from first month to six month. p- value showed that for mothers with NBW babies, there is a significant difference between the 1 and 6 month (p=0.0003) and between 3 and 6 month after birth (p=0.0007). For mothers with LBW babies, p-value showed a significant difference between the zinc concentration in breast milk in the 1^st and 3^rd month (p=0.0007), 1 and 6 month (p< 0.0001) and between 3^rd and 6^th month after birth (p=0.0056). The rate of NBW babies who were exclusively breastfed was 36.67%, 30.25% and 10% successively in 1^st, 3^rd and 6^th month after birth. For LBW babies, the rate of exclusively breastfed was 15.38%, 7.69% and 2.69% successively in 1^st, 3^rd and 6^th month after birth. Based on the K. Brown study in 2009, we can develop a mathematical equation to our own population using our data: Ln [Zinc] = 0.960 – 0.161*Ln(âge) – 0.187*Ln(âge)². In conclusion the zinc concentration in milk is within normal range and decreases with the age of the babies. The predicted model of zinc concentration in breast milk was developed and tested.

The Effectiveness of “Emolabeling” to Promote Healthy Food Choices in Children Preschool Through 5th Grade
Pages 41-47
Gregory J. Privitera, Taylor E. Phillips, Melissa Misenheimer and Robert Paque

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2014.03.01.5

Published: 10 March 2014

Abstract: Obesity has become a growing global concern. Evidence indicates that ecological factors are most predictive of obesity among children, and that a new strategy, referred to as emolabeling, may effectively address ecological factors, although the extent to which it can influence food choice is not yet known, but tested here. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that children aged 3 to 11 years will use emolabels, or emotional correlates of health (i.e. healthy-happy, unhealthy-sad), to make healthy food choices. A cross-sectional design was used with two phases. In Phase 1, children were taught how to use emolabels with a “faces of health” lesson. In Phase 2, children made choices between containers that were laid out on a large table in pairs and varied by taste (tastes good, no information), social norms (popular, not popular), branding (image of a minion, no image), or preference (told what food was in each container). A control pair was labeled with only emoticons. The order and presentation of the containers were counterbalanced for each variation. Results showed that a significant proportion of children in the pre-literacy and the early literacy grades used emoticons to specifically make healthy food choices in each variation (p < .05 for all tests), except when children were told what foods were in the containers. In all, emolabeling effectively influenced food choices for healthy foods among children aged 3 to 11 years, more so than labeling for taste, social norms, and branding, but not preference.

Refeeding Syndrome in a Critically Ill Child
Pages 48-54
Fabíola I. Suano de Souza, Heitor Pons Leite, Walter Jacob Chwals and Werther Brunow de Carvalho

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2014.03.01.7

Published: 10 March 2014

Abstract: Objective: To report a case of a child interned in an ICU of a University Hospital who developed refeeding syndrome, and to review the specific literature pertinent to this area.

Case Report: An eight year-old, previously healthy, male patient was admitted for necrotizing pneumonia. On admission the child had a z-score of weight for height of 0.38 and height for age of -0.74. Following 60 days’ hospital admission he had lost 27.5% of initial weight. Enteral tube feeding, with an energy intake equivalent to the basal metabolic rate plus 20% for stress, was initiated and gradually increased during the stabilization phase. After receiving 2000 kcal/day for 5 days, hypophosphatemia was detected in association with an increase in hepatic enzymes and hyperglycemia. No concomitant worsening of the white blood count or evidence of inflammatory activity was present. These alterations were accompanied by an increase in pulse rate and body temperature, thereby leading to a diagnosis of refeeding syndrome. Energy intake decreased to 1520 kcal/day, resulting in a marked improvement of the laboratorial parameters in less than a week.

Conclusions: Refeeding syndrome is a potentially dangerous complication of increased caloric administration in critically ill pediatric patients. Early recognition and appropriate adjustment of nutritional support is important to avoid the serious consequences which may ensue if this condition is left untreated.