WHITLOWE R. GREEN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Dissertation Defense Announcement
ABSTRACT
THE INVESTIGATION OF PARENTAL PERCEPTIONS, ATTITUDES, AND BELIEFS
ABOUT CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND THEIR IMPACT ON HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
AMONG MINORITY FAMILIES IN RURAL TEXAS
(Fall 2014)
Doris J. Morgan-Bloom Higginbottom
M.S. - Prairie View A&M University
B.A. - Texas A&M University
Dissertation Chair: Patricia Hoffman-Miller, Ph.D.
Childhood obesity for African American and Hispanic American children continues at
epidemic levels. In 2008, there were twenty million children worldwide under the age of five
documented as overweight (Crawford, 2008). Further, it was reported that more than nine
million American children six years and older who are overweight or obese and the larger
percentage are within the minority community (Axmaker, 2010). Research conducted by Ogden
and Carroll (2010) found a significant increase in the prevalence of obesity for African American
boys, Hispanic American boys, African American girls, and Hispanic American girls.
Alarmingly, researchers reported in 2007; nearly half of the children population in the country
was obese or overweight (Harrington, Nguyen, Paulson, Garland, Pasquinelli, and Lewis, 2010).
Additionally, Arons (2011) researched and found obesity-related medical costs in Texas
exceeded $1.37 billion. He also reported, when children become obese adults, their medical
costs are 42% greater than normal-weight individuals (Arons, 2011).
Theoretical Framework
This study focused on African American and Hispanic American children identified as
overweight or obese who are living in south central, Texas. The researcher utilized work from
Albert Bandura (Social Learning Theory) and Lev Vygotsky (Socio-cultural Theory) as a
theoretical framework for this study. These authors espoused the impact of the social
environment and culture on behavior. Social Learning Theory emphasizes the importance of
learning within the primary context of observation, attention, retention, motivation, and
reproduction (Hakvoort, 2002).
In addition, Socio-cultural Theory recognized the importance of culture on learning. The
central tenet of socio-cultural theory is the importance of social interaction in the development of
thinking. This framework will assist parents, educators, health officials, and government
officials who strive to resolve this problem which will eventually provide interventions for the
two ethnic group’s burden by obesity (Arons, 2011).
The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the impact of the USDA Choose
MyPlate healthy educational information on the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of African
American and Hispanic American parents regarding children’s healthy lifestyle. Also, to
examine the effects of change in the perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of African American and
Hispanic American parents concerning children’s healthy lifestyle on the obesity level of their
children. Furthermore, to determine if parents perceptions change as a result of implementing
USDA Choose MyPlate information versus Just in Time Parenting.
This research was guided by the following research questions:
1. What is the difference in minority parents' perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about
children’s healthy lifestyle, as measured by their Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II
(HPLP-II) pretest scores based on the type of nutrition education information group?
2. What is the difference in minority parents' perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about
children’s healthy lifestyle, as measured by their HPLP-II posttest scores, based on the
type of nutrition education information received?
3. What is the difference in the change of minority parents' perceptions, attitudes, and
beliefs about children’s healthy lifestyle, as measured by the difference between their
pretest and posttest HPLP-II scores, based on the type of nutrition education information
received?
4. What is the relationship between minority parent’s perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs
about children’s healthy lifestyle, as measured by their posttest and change HPLP-II
scores and the post and change body mass index (BMI) of their children?
The investigator utilized the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II as a pre-questionnaire and
post-questionnaire instrument. This study was conducted by obtaining these data from Waller
County Independent School Districts. The researcher utilized the Statistical Package for Social
Sciences 22 (SPSS) to compare the two groups (experimental and control).
Date: __October 22, 2014____
Department: Educational Leadership and Counseling
Time: _10:00am_____________
Location/Room: Delco 220
Dissertation Chair:
Dr. Patricia Hoffman-Miller_
Dissertation Committee Members:
Angela Branch-Vital, Ph.D.
Carl Gardiner, Ed.D.
William Kritsonis, Ph.D.
Solomon Osho, Ph.D.
Laxley Rodney, Ph.D.