The Relationship between Parental Behaviors and Children's Sugary Drink Consumption Is Moderated by a Television in the Child's Bedroom

Authors

Marlene B. Schwartz, University of Connecticut
Kathryn Gilstad-Hayden, Community Alliance for Research and Engagement, Yale School of Public Health
Kathryn E. Henderson, Henderson Consulting
Joerg Luedicke, StataCorp
Amy Carroll-Scott, Drexel School of Public Health
Susan M. Peters, New Haven Public Schools
Catherine McCaslin, New Haven Public Schools
Jeannette R. Ickovics, Community Alliance for Research and Engagement, Yale School of Public Health

Document Type

Article

Summary Description

This study investigated the relationship between parenting style, the presence of a TV in a child's bedroom, and the child's sugary drink consumption at twelve middle schools in New Haven. The researchers found that children with more "authoritative" parents drank less sugary drinks, but parenting style didn't influence sugary drink consumption as much if the child had a TV in their bedroom. The authors recommend initiatives to encourage parents not to have a TV in their child's bedroom.

Abstract

Background: The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the link between perceived authoritative parenting behaviors and sugary drink consumption among children from low-income families who do or do not have televisions (TVs) in their bedrooms. Methods: Middle school students (N = 480) completed a baseline survey in sixth grade and a follow-up survey in seventh grade. The students were recruited from 12 schools in a low-income, predominantly black (33%) and Latino (48%), urban school district. The survey assessed the children's perception of their parents' controlling and nurturing behaviors, the presence of a TV in their bedrooms, and their level of sugary drink consumption on the previous school day. Children's report of specific controlling and nurturing parental behaviors were used to create an “authoritative parenting” score. Regression analyses were used to test the main and interactive effects of authoritative parenting behaviors and having a TV in the bedroom with sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, gender, BMI, and sugary drink consumption in sixth grade. Results: A significant interaction emerged: The authoritative parenting score predicted lower levels of sugary drink consumption in seventh grade, but this relationship was moderated by whether or not there was a TV in the child's bedroom. Conclusion: A TV in the child's bedroom may weaken the positive influence of authoritative parenting behaviors on limiting sugary drink consumption among middle school children from low-income families. Stronger initiatives are recommended to educate parents and help them refrain from placing TVs in their children's bedrooms.

Publication Status

Published

Category Tags

Family, Pregnancy, and Childhood; Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture

New Haven Neighborhood

New Haven (All)

Recommended Citation

Schwartz MB, Gilstad-Hayden K, Henderson KE, Luedicke J, Carroll-Scott A, Peters SM, McCaslin C, Ickovics JR. The Relationship between Parental Behaviors and Children's Sugary Drink Consumption Is Moderated by a Television in the Child's Bedroom. Child Obes. 2015 Oct;11(5):560-8. doi: 10.1089/chi.2014.0041. Epub 2015 Aug 28. PMID: 26317365; PMCID: PMC4808288.