Attributes of parenting identities and food practices among parents in Nairobi, Kenya.

Dramatic changes in daily life are leading to increased rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCD) in Kenya, including among children. Parenting plays a vital role in helping children establish healthy eating habits to prevent obesity and NCDs. The objective of this study was to describe parenting identity and how attributes of parenting influence food parenting practices in an urban Kenyan context. A qualitative study design was employed with 18 participants recruited using quota sampling to include parents who were born in (n = 8) or migrated to Nairobi in the last five years (n = 10). In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted by an experienced ethnographic interviewer that inquired about parenting identity and food parenting practices. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic coding in a multi-step and emergent process. Parents described their parenting identities as an integration of tradition and personal experiences during their upbringing with the modern realities of daily...