Beverage consumption in low income, "milk-friendly" families.
OBJECTIVE
Beverage consumption by poor, lone mother-led, "milk-friendly" families living in Atlantic Canada was characterized over a one-month income cycle.


METHODS
Beverage intake and food security status were assessed weekly, using a 24-hour dietary recall and the Cornell-Radimer food insecurity questionnaire. Families were classified as "milk friendly" if total consumption of milk was 720 mL on a single day during the month. Beverage intake was assessed using t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), repeated measures ANOVA with post hoc comparisons, and chi-square analysis.


RESULTS
Milk consumption by milk-friendly families (76; total sample, 129) was highest at the time of the month when they had the most money to spend. During all time intervals, mothers consumed the least amount of milk and children aged one to three years consumed the most. Mothers consumed carbonated beverages disproportionately, while children of all ages consumed more fruit juice/drink. Mothers' coffee consumption was profoundly increased when either they or their children were hungry.


CONCLUSIONS
The quality of beverage intake by members of low-income households fluctuates in accordance with financial resources available to purchase foods. Mothers' beverage intake is compromised by the degree of food insecurity the family experiences.
Glanville
N Theresa
NT
Department of Applied Human Nutrition, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
McIntyre
Lynn
L
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001628:Beverages / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002170:Canada; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008892:Milk / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011203:Poverty; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires