Home Sweet Home: Parent and Home Environmental Factors in Adolescent Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Abstract

ObjectiveSugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are key contributors to obesity among youth. We investigated associations among parental and home-related factors (parental attitudes and consumption; home availability) regarding 3 types of SSBs—soda, sports drinks, and fruit-flavored drinks—with consumption of each type of SSB in a general school-based sample of adolescents. MethodsData were collected across 3 school semesters, from 2009 to 2011. A total of 1313 seventh grade student–parent dyads participated. Students completed in-class surveys across 9 schools in a large Los Angeles school district; their parents completed telephone interviews. Youth were asked about their SSB consumption (soda, sports drinks, and fruit-flavored drinks), and parents were asked about their attitudes, consumption, and home availability of SSBs. ResultsWe estimated expected rates of youth SSB consumption for hypothetical parents at very low (5th) and very high (95th) percentiles for home/parental risk factors (ie, they consumed little, had negative attitudes, and did not keep SSBs in the home; or they consumed a lot, had positive attitudes, and did keep SSBs in the home). Youth of lower-risk parents (at the 5th percentile) were estimated to drink substantially less of each type of beverage than did youth of higher-risk parents (at the 95th percentile). For example, youth with higher-risk parents averaged nearly double the SSB consumption of youth of lower-risk parents (2.77 vs 1.37 glasses on the previous day; overall model significance F22,1312 = 3.91, P < .001). ConclusionsResults suggest a need to focus on parental and home environmental factors when intervening to reduce youths' SSB consumption.