Etapas del cambio, motivaciones y barreras relacionadas con el consumo de frutas y verduras y la actividad física en madres de preescolares atendidas en centros de atención primaria de salud / Stages of change, motivations and barriers related to the consumption of fruits and vegetables and physical activity in mothers of preschool children attending primary health centers

In order to design effective interventions for the prevention of childhood obesity the stages of change, motivations and barriers related to the consumption of five daily portions of fruit and vegetables and physical activity were determined in 323 mothers of preschool children attending Primary Health Centers, through the application of a previously validated survey. Only 5% of them consumed 5 or more portions with the majority (61.3%) consuming 1 to 2 portions. The main motivations to eat 5 portions were "I like them" and "to lose weight" while the main barrier was "I forget to eat them". With respect to physical activity, 33.1% considered themselves on the maintenance stage and 18.9% on the action stage. Main motivations were: "Makes me feel good", "To lose weight". Main barrier: "I don't have time". It is suggested that educational interventions consider the mother attitudes and beliefs to be more effective.

Con el fin de diseñar intervenciones efectivas que contribuyan a prevenir la obesidad infantil, se determinaron las etapas del cambio de la conducta, las motivaciones y barreras para consumir 5 porciones diarias de frutas y verduras y realizar actividad física en 323 madres de preescolares atendidas en Centros de Atención Primaria de Salud, mediante la aplicación de una encuesta validada en estudios previos. Sólo el 5% de ellas consumía 5 o más porciones diarias, la mayoría consumía 1 a 2 porciones (61,3%). Las principales motivaciones para comer 5 porciones fueron: "me gustan" y "para perder peso". La principal barrera "se me olvida comerlas". En la actividad física, el 33,1% indicó encontrarse en la etapa de mantenimiento y el 18,9% en acción. Las principales motivaciones: "me hace sentir bien" y "para perder peso". La principal barrera: "no tengo tiempo". Se sugiere que las intervenciones educativas consideren las actitudes y creencias de las madres, para ser más efectivas.

[Influence of work status of mothers on the weight of full-term newborns]. / Influencia de la situación laboral de la madre en el peso del recién nacido a término.

Birth weight is considered as the most important indicator of growth and intrauterine development as well as the nutritional status of the newborn. Several reports have demonstrated the influence of both biological and social variables on low birth weight, among which being discussed is the influence of the mothers work activities. Two hundred and thirty-two newborns were studied at the Regional Hospital "20 de Noviembre" of the Institute de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales para los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE) and selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria which homogenized the sample and allowed to associate the work status of the mother with the low birth weight of the child. The somatometric data of the newborns was obtained from official registrars from the Perinatology Ward and directly from the mothers who were interviewed. The results did not significant statistical differences in the weight of the newborns of those mothers who do work than in those who don't. It was concluded that for this sample, the favorable socioeconomic fund established by a double family income apparently compensates any disadvantages which the work activity could have on the newborns' weight.