Influences on Healthy-Eating Decision Making in Latino Adolescent Children of Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers

• Children of Latino migrant workers are more overweight/obese than Latino peers.
• Parents offered more support to adolescents for healthy eating compared with friends.
• Students felt unsure about choosing healthy foods in social situations.
• Sixty-seven percent of students were classified as making non-quality decisions.

IntroductionLatino children demonstrate high rates of unhealthy weight, and children of Latino migrant and seasonal agricultural workers are heavier than their Latino peers.MethodThis one-group, cross-sectional, mixed-methods pilot study explored healthy-eating decision making with 12- to 14-year-olds recruited from a Midwest summer migrant education program. Demographics, decision-making, self-efficacy, and social support survey instruments were used, along with gender-specific focus groups.ResultIn the convenience sample, which included 24 participants, students felt varying degrees of uncertainty when choosing healthy foods in social situations, and 67% made poor-quality decisions. Parents offered greater support for healthy eating compared with friends. Qualitative analyses identified three themes: healthy decision making includes fruits, vegetables, and physical activity; mothers have influence over health and healthy decisions; and friends encourage unhealthy food choices.DiscussionInfluences on healthy-eating decision making in Latino adolescent children of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, which were previously missing from the literature, were identified. Future research includes development of interventions to assist these adolescents with healthy-eating decision making.