Cultural influences on infant and toddler feeding among low-income Latinx mothers.

Latinx infants and toddlers experience higher obesity rates than their black or white counterparts, increasing chronic disease risk later in life. Infant and toddler feeding (ITF) interventions are shown to improve dietary behaviours, but few studies target Latinx populations. Culturally tailoring such interventions is imperative, but cultural influences on Latinx ITF practices remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to characterize how culture influences ITF practices among Latinx mothers of low income. A brief survey and semistructured interview informed by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) were conducted on Zoom with New York City-based Latinx mothers of children 4 to 24 months old. A directed content analysis approach was used to identify themes using TPB theoretical codes and inductive codes. Transcripts were coded independently by two researchers using NVivo 12. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in Excel. Participants (n = 19) were of Dominican, Mexican and Central and South American origin, had low acculturation scores and mean child age was 16.7 months (range: 5-24 months old). The central theme identified was that participants balanced cultural information with evidence-based health information to determine which ITF practices were most beneficial to infant/toddler health. This resulted in the adoption of evidence-based ITF recommendations, adoption of cultural practices that aligned with evidence-based recommendations and dismissal or postponement of cultural ITF practices that contradicted evidence-based recommendations. The present results can be applied to culturally relevant ITF education as follows: emphasizing the benefits of desirable ITF practices on children's health and promoting healthy cultural ITF practices.

Stakeholders' Views on Mobile Applications to Deliver Infant and Toddler Feeding Education to Latina Mothers of Low Socioeconomic Status.

Infant- and toddler-feeding (ITF) practices are critical to long-term health and chronic disease prevention. Using mobile applications (apps) to promote desirable ITF practices shows promise for overcoming challenges of in-person education. However, the viability of ITF apps for Latina mothers of low-socioeconomic status (SES) remains unclear. The objective of this study was to characterize stakeholders' views on Latina mothers' capability, motivation, and barriers to using ITF apps. New York City-based health professionals who frequently engage with Latina mothers of low SES completed in-depth interviews. Directed content analysis was used to identify themes through theoretical and inductive codes. Participants included dietitians, nutrition educators, and physicians (n = 17). The following themes were identified: (1) Most Latina mothers of low-SES are tech-savvy (i.e., high capability and experience using smartphones and apps); (2) Apps are an appealing way to deliver ITF education; (3) There are challenges to using apps that must be carefully considered for ITF education development. Overall, ITF apps are a viable option as skills and use appear high among Latina mothers. Key considerations for app development include targeted app promotion; detailed instructions for obtaining and using app; more visuals, less text for low literacy and multiple dialects; making key features available offline.