Fathers’ Buying Habits Related to Increased Sweetened Beverage Consumption in Preschool Children

Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control identified the reduction of sugar‐sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption as a major strategy to reduce childhood obesity in the United States. This study examined the influence of paternal involvement on pre‐school children's SSB consumption. The study involved interviews and Home Beverage Inventory with 462 caregivers (90.2% female, 9.8% male) enrolled in a nutritional education intervention. Two open‐ended survey items measured the association between child's daily SSB consumption and paternal serving and SSB purchasing behaviors. Overall, 41% of caregivers reported that fathers served beverages to their child on any given day and 31% of caregivers reported that fathers purchased beverages for family consumption. However, within married/partnered families, 74% of fathers served their children beverages and 81% of fathers purchased beverages for their household. Preschoolers with fathers that brought beverages for the household had significantly higher odds for SSB consumption (p=.04); yet, paternal serving behaviors did not affect SSB consumption (p=.06). Interventions that aim at reducing SSB consumption should target fathers’ buying habits as a potential strategy.Grant Funding Source: USDA/NRI 2008–55215‐19071