Sugar‐sweetened beverage behaviors of Tennessee school children: How do parent‐ and child‐report compare on school days and nonschool days?

Abstract

Introduction This study describes sugar‐sweetened beverage (SSB) behaviors of children and compares child‐reported SSB behaviors to parent‐reported SSB behaviors during school days and nonschool days. Method Six elementary schools from Tennessee participated with 444 students and 287 parents. Descriptive statistics included means, standard deviation (SD), ranges of values, and measures of central tendency. To explore the relationship between parent and child report, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were analyzed. The mean ( SD) differences and limits of agreement were calculated using paired t tests with Bonferroni corrections for multiple outcomes of interest. A p < 0.05 was significant. Results Reporting differed with SSB type of school day. Children reported higher quantities of sweet tea and “coke/soda.” Both agreed on SSB abstention, except for juice. ICCs ranged from 0.383 to 0.513 ( p = 0.000). The lowest and highest ICCs were for sweet tea, based on school days or nonschool days. Discussion To determine the best estimate of SSBs, information should be obtained from children and parents to improve accuracy and enhance education about health behaviors.

The Sharp Rise in the Use of Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners in Non-Alcoholic Beverages in Slovenia: An Update Based on 2020 Data

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“…Regarding evaluations of health behavior, several studies have investigated agreement for questions of diet, physical activity, media use, or sleep. With respect to children's diet, the amount of parent-child agreement has been shown to differ depending on the type of food assessed, with low agreement for the consumption of fruits and vegetables [5][6][7], but slightly higher agreement for sweetened beverages [7,8], and moderate agreement for the consumption of fish, eggs, and fast food [7]. Regarding aspects of eating culture, e.g., having breakfast or sharing dinners, agreement between child and parent reports has been shown to be low to fair [9].…”

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“…This study is part of a larger project targeting 11 schools in Tennessee. Findings from a related study focusing on elementary aged children and their parents are published elsewhere (Smith & Baumker, 2019). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a high school-based, student-led project aimed at limiting short-term SSB consumption behaviors and increasing daily water consumption behaviors.…”