Skip to main content

Parental soft drink intake influence on kids stronger than peers

Study in Journal of the American Dietetic Association looks at trends in what kids drink and why

CHICAGO - Flavored, carbonated drinks have been around for about two hundred years. And their popularity continues to grow--overtaking more nutritious beverages among some age groups, especially children and adolescents.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota surveyed 560 children ages 8 to 13 years old on how often they drank soft drinks and the factors that influence soft drink consumption.

Among other findings, researchers found:

-- Parental soft drink intake has a stronger influence than children's peers. Parents who consume soft drinks on a regular basis may relax soft drink consumption rules and restrictions for their kids.

-- Approximately 30 percent of children reported drinking soft drinks daily and 85 percent reported they usually drink regular, not diet soft drinks. Soft drink consumption was higher among boys compared with girls and intake increased with age.

-- Ninety-six percent of respondents said that they liked or strongly like the taste of soft drinks. Those children who reported that they "strongly liked" the taste of soft drinks were 4.5 times more likely to drink soft drinks five or more times per week.

-- The odds of drinking soft drinks almost daily was twice as likely for those who watched television 3.5 hours or more a day than those who watched less television.

-- The availability of soft drinks at home and the availability of soft drink vending machines in school were both strongly associated with children's soft drink consumption.

The researchers say additional research is needed to verify these findings in a larger representative sample of children.

"Research has shown that parents are primary role models for kids and that includes their eating habits, too," said registered dietitian and ADA Spokesperson Althea Zanecosky. "Parents need to be aware of what their kids are consuming and encourage foods and beverages that are packed with nutrients. As your best guideline, be sure soft drinks are not crowding out water and other nutritious beverages like fruit juices and milk."

The Journal of the American Dietetic Association is the official research publication of the American Dietetic Association and is the premier peer-reviewed journal in the field of nutrition and dietetics.

With nearly 70,000 members, the American Dietetic Association is the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. Based in Chicago, ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being. Visit ADA at http://www.eatright.org.

Contact: Kelly Liebbe
media@eatright.org
American Dietetic Association

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Is too much soy bad for men?

While soy may be beneficial to women in a variety of ways, research in monkeys suggests that it could have an adverse effect on the behavior of men, according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Reporting in the current issue of the scientific journal Hormones and Behavior, the researchers found that in male monkeys, "long-term consumption of a diet rich in soy isoflavones can have marked influences on patterns of aggression and social behavior." Isoflavones are a naturally occurring plant estrogen in soy protein. "Although considerable attention has been directed at the potentially beneficial effects of isoflavones in reducing the risk of various cancers, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and postmenopausal symptoms, less effort has been invested in characterizing neurobehavioral effects," according to the study.

Dietary modification could be a simple way to reduce the risk of stroke

Dietary modification could be a simple way to reduce the risk of stroke say researchers. The research shows a diet that consists of meats, refined grains and desserts is associated with a greater risk for stroke than a diet of fruits, vegetables, fish, legumes and whole grains. The study included dietary information on 71,768 female nurses between 38 and 63 years old. The women had no history of heart disease or diabetes. They completed questionnaires about their diet every few years for 14 years. Researchers tracked how many of the women had a stroke and then compared their diets. They rated the women's diets based on if they ate more of a Western diet or a prudent diet. During the follow-up, 791 women in the study had had a stroke. It was found that women who ate a Western diet vs. a prudent diet had a higher risk of developing a stroke . They say those who had the highest scores for a Western diet, meaning they mainly ate meat, refined grains and sweets, had a more than 50...

Food Commission UK publishes new guide to children's food

hildren deserve the best food and drink we can provide, but research shows that most children are eating a dangerously unbalanced diet, high in saturated fats, sugar and salt, and low in fruit and vegetables. More than one in five children are now overweight, and one in three children have tooth decay before they even begin primary school. A poor diet can mean poor concentration at school, and increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes in later life. The Food Commission Guide to Children's Food is designed to help parents and carers distinguish which children's foods are genuinely healthy, and to spot the unhealthy ingredients which lurk in many popular children's foods and drinks. The guide, published in poster format, explains that simply reading food labels and looking for added vitamins is not enough to protect children's health. Many food products are poorly labelled, and advertisers are happy to promote high fat, high sugar and high sa...