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Parental Characteristics and Reasons Associated With Purchasing Kids' Meals for Their Children
Seung Hee Lee-Kwan1, Sohyun Park1, Leah M Maynard1
11 Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA.
American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP
|January 24, 2018
Summary
Younger parents and daily sugar-sweetened beverage consumers are more likely to purchase kids
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Consumer Behavior
- Public Health Interventions
Background:
- Kids' meals are a significant part of the food service industry.
- Understanding parental purchasing habits is crucial for promoting healthier eating patterns in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the characteristics of parents purchasing kids' meals.
- To identify the primary reasons behind kids' meal purchases.
- To assess parental desire for healthier kids' meal options.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative, cross-sectional study utilizing national survey data from 1147 parents.
- Self-reported data on kids' meal purchase, reasons for purchase, and desire for healthy options.
- Multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify predictors of kids' meal purchases.
Main Results:
- Over half of parents reported purchasing kids' meals in the past month.
- Younger parents and daily sugar-sweetened beverage consumers showed significantly higher odds of purchasing kids' meals.
- Top reasons for purchase included children's requests, habit, and healthier side options; 37% of non-purchasers would buy if healthier options were available.
Conclusions:
- Kids' meal purchases are prevalent, particularly among younger parents and those who consume sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Parental willingness to purchase healthier kids' meal options presents an opportunity for intervention.
- Findings can inform strategies to improve the nutritional quality of kids' meals.
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