2017, Number 4
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Salud Mental 2017; 40 (4)
Energy imbalance and psychosocial imbalance in the construction of child obesity in a marginalized area of Mexico City
Turnbull B, González UM, Martínez AGO, Sánchez GR, Escalante IE
Language: English
References: 28
Page: 149-156
PDF size: 479.11 Kb.
ABSTRACT
Introduction. Child obesity is a growing phenomenon and marginalized communities in Mexico City are not
exempt from it. The results achieved by frequent preventive and remedial interventions are still unacceptable.
Objective. To contribute to the understanding of the growing problem of child obesity and overweight through
a community health approach capable of transcending the biological perspective in order to improve interventions.
Method. We observed and interviewed a sample of school children, some overweight, some obese, and
some with a normal BMI. All observations and interviews were carried out in the children’s daily environment.
We also interviewed some of their mothers. Together with our field notes, we analyzed these testimonies to
construct the Grounded Theory that is the output of the present study.
Results. We found the children and
their families immersed in a toxic environment that, through several mechanisms, fosters the consumption of
high-density foods and discourages physical activity. We also found that the resources and competencies that
families could use to fend off this environment are, at present, very limited.
Discussion and conclusion. We
concluded that the energy imbalance in overweight and obese children’s bodies corresponds to an abysmal
psychosocial imbalance between the forces that foster obesity and the resources of the families affected by it.
Any intervention aimed at preventing obesity must take this psychosocial imbalance into account.
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