Communicating With Head Start Families About Children's Weight Status: A Phenomenological Approach

Abstract

Background: To support the early identification of childhood obesity, Head Start (HS) implemented a body mass index screening program. This program provides opportunities for HS to communicate with families about children's weight status. Limited research is available describing the methods used to communicate this information.

Objective: Explore common experiences of HS health/nutrition managers (HNM) when communicating information to families about children's weight status.

Study design, settings, and participants: Twenty-eight in-depth telephone interviews with HNM across North Carolina (n = 15) and Ohio (n = 13).

Study design/analysis: Phenomenology guided the study design and analysis. The themes focused on HNM's lived experiences with their body mass index screening program. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim.

Results: Four emergent themes identified: (1) strategies for communicating weight status to families; (2) family response to communication strategies; (3) educational, staff support, and counseling opportunities for families; and (4) challenges engaging families in childhood obesity prevention efforts.

Conclusions and implications: Head Start programs acknowledged the importance of communicating children's weight status; however, there are inconsistencies in methods used and information communicated across programs. Head Start programs have community partners who support obesity prevention efforts; however, these partnerships may be underused. More research is needed to explore effective and sensitive communication methods for HS families regarding children's weight status.

Keywords: BMI; Head Start; healthy eating; preschool; weight status.