Child Care Providers’ Perceptions of Children’s Lifestyles and Risk Factors for Obesity: A Focus Group Study

Abstract

Objective: This study attempts to understand child care providers’ perceptions of remarkable children’s lifestyles and discusses potentially successful strategies of cooperation among child care providers, parents, and health professionals for health promotion and the prevention of obesity in preschool children. Methods: We conducted 6 focus group discussions consisting of 34 child care providers employed by private and public child care centers, and a public kindergarten in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. Systematic thematic analysis was conducted to generate themes to address the study questions. Results: What the focus group participants discussed with felt mainly into the 3 different kinds of points: “Concerns of Child Care Providers Regarding Parental Attitudes about Nutrition and Nurture,” “Tensions between Parents and Child Care Providers,” and “Current Obesity Prevention Activities and the Role of Child Care Professionals.” Conclusions: Childcare providers had many concerns that fell into 5 main issues of the possible detrimental effects on children’s health due to parents’ nurturing methods and lifestyles. Participants described possible strategies for the prevention of childhood obesity in childcare settings as well as barriers to effective intervention. Childcare providers felt that a system to demand helps from public health nurses in guiding parents would be effective in preventing childhood obesity.