Parental Influences on Dairy Intake in Children, and Their Role in Child Calcium-fortified Food Use

ObjectiveTo understand how parental influences on dairy food intake relate to early adolescent children's use of calcium-fortified food.DesignContent analysis of qualitative interviews to identify parental influences on dairy intake; calcium-fortified food survey to identify children as either calcium-fortified food users or nonusers.Setting and ParticipantsA convenience sample of Asian (n = 56), Hispanic (n = 61), and white (n = 74) parents of children 10-13 years old, including boys (n = 86) and girls (n = 105).Variables Measured and AnalysisCluster analysis to identify groups with similar coded parental influences and chi-square analysis to determine associations between these groups and calcium-fortified food use.ResultsTwo dominant patterns of parental influences: Cluster 1 (n = 128), with positive parental influences related to availability of dairy, milk, and cheese; positive health beliefs for dairy, and child preferences for dairy and cheese, included parents whose children were more likely to use calcium-fortified food. Cluster 2 (n = 63), with positive influences for availability of dairy and milk, included parents whose children were equally likely to be either users or nonusers of calcium-fortified food (P < .05).ConclusionStrategies to improve parental influence on children's dairy intake might also encourage calcium-fortified food intake and improve calcium nutriture.