What Factors Influence Adolescents When Opting for Sugary Beverages?

A new study suggests that when it comes to intervening in adolescents’ consumption of Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSB), it’s time to focus on consumption of SSBs at home.

Data was collected from 1,313 seventh grade students and their parents in the Los Angeles school district. SSB consumption by youth was compared between “high-risk” parents and “low-risk” parents. Parents were considered “low-risk” if they tend to consume fewer SSBs, have negative attitudes and do not keep SSBs at home, while “high-risk” parents displayed the opposite tendencies.

The research found significantly high SSB intake in youth with “high-risk” parents compared to those with “low-risk” parents. This outcome identifies the need to examine factors at home that influence adolescents in consuming SSBs.