TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose Snacking contributes to one-quarter of children’s total daily energy intake in the USA, with many snack foods being nutrient-poor and energy-dense. Snacking and sugary beverage consumption have been identified as potential contributors to childhood overweight and obesity and may play a particularly important role among children from socioeconomically disadvantaged households that generally display higher rates of obesity. This exploratory study investigated associations between consumption of snack foods, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and overweight and obesity in children from low-income households.Design/methodology/approach Data from households that participated in a multi-state cost-offset (CO-CSA) community supported agriculture intervention in 2016 and 2017 (n = 305) were analyzed. Fixed effect regression models were used to estimate associations between child monthly consumption of salty snack foods; sweet snack foods and SSBs; and child weight status, accounting for demographic characteristics.Findings No associations were found between snack or SSB consumption and child overweight. However, household income was significantly, negatively related to all three consumption variables (Salty snacks: ß = −0.09, SE = 0.04, p = 0.02; Sweet snacks: ß= −0.10, SE = 0.04, p = 0.01; SSB: ß= −0.21, SE = 0.05, p = 0.0001). The results suggest that household income may play an important role in children’s snacking and SSB behaviors among more disadvantaged households.Practical implications Factors beyond snack food and SSB consumption should be explored to better understand childhood overweight and obesity, and to inform future obesity interventions.Originality/value Socioeconomic disparities in childhood obesity are an ongoing policy-relevant issue within the USA and internationally. This study provides new information about child snacking behaviors in a unique, low-income population and contributes to the evidence base regarding the role household context in shaping child consumption behaviors.
VL  - 51
IS  - 1
SN  - 0034-6659
DO  - 10.1108/NFS-02-2020-0048
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-02-2020-0048
AU  - Walsh Christine E.
AU  - Seguin-Fowler Rebecca
AU  - Ammerman Alice
AU  - Hanson Karla
AU  - Pitts Jilcott Stephanie B.
AU  - Kolodinsky Jane
AU  - Sitaker Marilyn
AU  - Ennett Susan
PY  - 2020
Y1  - 2020/01/01
TI  - Snacking, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and child obesity in low-income households
T2  - Nutrition & Food Science
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 151
EP  - 163
Y2  - 2024/04/26
ER  -