Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #119594

Jen Nickelson, MS, RD¹, Carol A. Bryant, PhD², and Melinda S. Forthofer, PhD². (1) College of Public Health, Dept. of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612, 813-971-2119 ext 108, nickelsonjen@aol.com, (2) Department of Community and Family Health, University of South Florida College of Public Health and Florida Prevention Research Center, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, MDC 56, Tampa, FL 33612-3805

Background: Obesity is a consequence of biological, behavioral, and social influences. The prevention of youth obesity includes decreasing sweetened beverage intake and improving parents' control over children's diets. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with soft drink consumption (SDC) among middle school students in a U.S. East South Central county. Methods: The 2004 county Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was the data source (N=2487). Questions related to SDC and parents' limiting their children's SDC supplemented the YRBS. Multiple regression analysis controlled for effects of 19 independent variables. Results: The independent variables explained approximately 15% of the variance associated with SDC (Adj R² = 0.148, F = 14.04, p < 0.0001). Individual variables negatively associated with SDC were parental limits on SDC (b = -0.119, p < 0.0001), limits on television viewing (b = -0.083, p < 0.0001), milk intake (b = -0.064, p = 0.0015), and breakfast intake (b = -0.076, p = 0.0002). Variables positively associated with SDC were television viewing (b = 0.250; p < 0.0001) and physical activity (b = 0.079, p < 0.0001). Discussion: Except for physical activity, pro-health behaviors were negatively associated with SDC, while television viewing was positively associated with SDC. Whereas parents who enforce limits may promote a wide range of pro-health behaviors, those parents with physically active children may be less concerned about the negative effects of SDC. Conclusions: Parental monitoring should include limiting SDC and television viewing, while promoting breakfast and milk intake.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify factors that were associated with soft drink intake among middle school students in an East South Central U.S. county.
• To suggest parenting behaviors that may reduce soft drink intake among youth.

Keywords: Obesity, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.