Child Sugar-sweetened Beverage Consumption Research Articles

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

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

Perceived parenting style and practices and the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by adolescents

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether perceived parenting practices and parenting style dimensions (strictness and involvement) are associated with adolescents' consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. In this cross-sectional study, secondary school students (n = 383, mean age 13.5 years) completed a self-administered questionnaire on their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, attitude, social influences, self-efficacy, habit strength, food-related parenting practices and the general parenting style dimensions of 'strictness' and 'involvement'. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analyses. More restrictive parenting practices were associated with lower consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (beta = -38.0 ml; 95% CI = -48.1, -28.0). This association was highly mediated ( approximately 55%) by attitude, self-efficacy and modeling from parents. Nevertheless, a significant direct effect remained (beta = -17.1 ml; 95% CI = -27.2, -6.90). Interactions between perceived parenting style and parenting practices showed that the association between parenting practices and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was stronger among adolescents who perceived their parents as being moderately strict and highly involved. Parents influence their children's sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and should therefore be involved in interventions aimed at changing dietary behaviors. Interventions aimed at the promotion of healthy parenting practices will improve when they are tailored to the general parenting style of the participants.