Introduction: Latino children demonstrate high rates of unhealthy weight, and children of Latino migrant and seasonal agricultural workers are heavier than their Latino peers. Method: This 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. Result: In 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. Discussion: Influences 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. © 2016 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.

Adolescent migrant Decision making

Parents exercise agricultural worker human Health Behavior statistics and numerical data diet feeding behavior Seasons Farmers ethnology Hispanic Americans Cross-Sectional Studies season United States cross-sectional study Humans psychology Hispanic Adolescent male female pilot study Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Social Environment migration Transients and Migrants decision making Pediatric Obesity attitude to health Pilot Projects Midwestern United States parent