Correlates of sugar-sweetened beverages purchased for children at fast-food restaurants

J. Cantor, A. Breck and B. Elbel

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 11, 2038-2041

Abstract: Objectives. To determine consumer and fast-food purchase characteristics associated with the purchase of a sugar-sweetened beverage, as well as calories and grams of sugar, for children at a fast-food restaurant. Methods. We completed cross-sectional analyses of fast-food restaurant receipts and point-of-purchase surveys (n = 483) collected during 2013 and 2014 in New York City and Newark and Jersey City, New Jersey. Results. Caregivers purchased beverages for half of all children in our sample. Approximately 60% of these beverages were sugar-sweetened beverages. Fast-food meals with sugar-sweetened beverages had, on average, 179 more calories than meals with non-sugar-sweetened beverages. Being an adolescent or male, having a caregiver with a high school degree or less, having a caregiver who saw the posted calorie information, ordering a combination meal, and eating the meal in the restaurant were associated with ordering a sugar-sweetened beverage. Purchases that included a combination meal or were consumed in the restaurant included more beverage grams of sugar and calories. Conclusions. Characteristics of fast-food purchases appear to have the largest and most important association to beverage calories for children at fast-food restaurants. Targeting fast-food restaurants, particularly combination meals, may improve childhood obesity rates.

Keywords: sugar intake, adolescent; age; beverage; caloric intake; catering service; child; cross-sectional study; fast food; female; human; male; New Jersey; New York; sex difference; socioeconomics; statistics and numerical data; sugar intake, Adolescent; Age Factors; Beverages; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dietary Sucrose; Energy Intake; Fast Foods; Female; Humans; Male; New Jersey; New York City; Restaurants; Sex Factors; Socioeconomic Factors (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2016.303427_0

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303427

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