Familial and Cultural Dynamics: Nurturing Healthy Eating Habits and Combating Obesity Among Palestinian Children: A mixed method study

Abstract

Abstract Background Not enough research has been done to specifically examine how family monitoring affects how Palestinian children develop their eating habits, especially when it comes to preventing and treating obesity. Motivated by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and with an emphasis on familial and cultural dynamics, this study attempts to explore how families and communities shape healthy eating habits and fight obesity in Palestinian children. Methods To comprehensively characterize these processes, a mixed-methods approach is employed, combining quantitative analysis and structured interviews. The study used a purposive sampling technique to administer a survey, resulting in an initial sample of (185) friends. After data collection, (165) surveys were available for statistical analysis. In the qualitative approach, (18) individuals were chosen from the researchers' network, focusing on those actively involved in society and displaying high social networking site engagement. Results The quantitative findings indicate that while familial participation greatly influences children's eating choices, combining religious and cultural traditions prevents childhood obesity significantly. With the exception of variances in parental engagement depending on place of residence, which favor villages over towns, no substantial differences in parental involvement are detected across demographic categories. Qualitatively, a large portion of Palestinian couples believe their children are not vulnerable due to resilience and proactive health consciousness. They prioritize preventative measures like food choices, and consider economic constraints, cost, availability, and cultural influences in their nutritional decisions. Conclusion The study highlights the importance of culturally responsive public health initiatives and the cultural foundations of eating patterns. Notwithstanding certain drawbacks, such as the cross-sectional design and dependence on self-reported data, the results advance our knowledge of how families shape health-related behaviors. This study recommends the development of culturally relevant interventions for the Palestinian setting, looking into intersectionality, and expanding samples to address childhood obesity using other methodologies.