Youth proxy efficacy for fruit and vegetable availability varies by gender and socio-economic status.
OBJECTIVE
The current study examined proxy efficacy, which was defined as youth's confidence to influence their parents to provide fruits and vegetables. The overall objective was to examine change in middle-school youth's proxy efficacy over time, and to determine if changes were moderated by gender and socio-economic status.


METHODS
Longitudinal cohort nested within schools.


METHODS
Eight middle schools located in urban, suburban and rural areas of a mid-western US state.


METHODS
Seven hundred and twelve youth followed across their 6th, 7th and 8th grade years. The sample was 51.8 % female, 30.5 % low socio-economic status and 89.5 % Caucasian, non-Hispanic.


RESULTS
Males and lower socio-economic status youth were significantly lower in proxy efficacy at each assessment year compared with females and high socio-economic youth, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Proxy efficacy to influence parents to provide fruits and vegetables may be an important construct to target in future interventions.
Geller
Karly S
KS
Cancer Research Center of Hawaii, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Dzewaltowski
David A
DA
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D012574:Schools; D020377:Self Efficacy; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014675:Vegetables / Q000191:economics