title: Individual and family correlates of calcium-rich food intake among parents of early adolescent children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most adults do not meet calcium intake recommendations. Little is known about how individual and family factors, including parenting practices that influence early adolescents' intake of calcium-rich foods, affect calcium intake of parents. This information could inform the development of effective nutrition education programs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify individual and family factors associated with intake of calcium-rich foods among parents of early adolescents (aged 10 to 13 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey was used with 14 scales to assess attitudes/preferences and parenting practices regarding calcium-rich foods and a calcium-specific food frequency questionnaire (2006-2007).
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of self-reporting non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, and Asian (n=661) parents was recruited in nine states. Parents were the primary meal planner/preparer and completed questionnaires in homes or community settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Predictors of calcium intake from three food groupings-all food sources, dairy foods, and milk.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multivariate regression analyses identified demographic, attitude/preference, and behavioral factors associated with calcium intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most respondents were women (∼90%) and 38% had a college degree. Education was positively associated with calcium intake from all three food groupings, whereas having an Asian spouse compared to a non-Hispanic white spouse was negatively associated with calcium intake only from all food sources and from dairy foods. Expectations for and encouragement of healthy beverage intake for early adolescents were positively associated with calcium intake from dairy foods and milk, respectively. Parental concern regarding adequacy of intake was negatively associated, whereas perception of health benefits from calcium-rich foods was positively associated with calcium intake from all food sources and from dairy foods. Between 20% and 32% of the variance in calcium intake from all food groupings was explained in these models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individual factors and positive parenting practices may be important considerations for nutrition education programs targeted to parents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA. mreicks@umn.edu
authors.forename: Marla
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reicks
authors.forename: Miriam Edlefsen
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Ballejos
authors.forename: L Suzanne
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Goodell
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gunther
authors.forename: Rickelle
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Siew Sun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Auld
authors.forename: Carol J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Boushey
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bruhn
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cluskey
authors.forename: Scottie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Misner
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaghloul
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001294:Attitude to Health; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003611:Dairy Products; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D002136:Calcium, Dietary