Introduction
Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute a large proportion of added sugar in young children's
diets; yet, companies market sugar-sweetened children's drinks extensively to children
and parents. This study examines the changes in children's drink purchases by U.S.
households with young children and the associations with marketing practices.
Methods
Longitudinal Nielsen U.S. household panel data provided monthly volume purchases by
children's drink category (sugar-sweetened fruit drinks and flavored water and unsweetened
juices) among households with young children (aged 1–5 years) from 2006 to 2017. Differences
by household race/ethnicity and income were assessed. The 2-part models examined the
associations between household purchases and marketing (including price and brand
TV advertising) for each category, controlling for sociodemographics. Data were collected
and analyzed in 2019–2020.
Results
Households’ volume purchases of children's fruit drinks and unsweetened juices declined
from 2006 to 2017, whereas flavored water purchases increased. Non-Hispanic Black
households purchased significantly more fruit drinks (351.23 fluid ounces/month, 95%
CI=342.63, 359.82) than non-Hispanic White (204.43 fluid ounces/month, 95% CI=201.81,
207.05) and Hispanic (222.63 fluid ounces/month, 95% CI=217.11, 228.15) households.
Low-income households purchased more fruit drinks and fewer unsweetened juices than
higher-income households (p<0.001). TV brand advertising was positively associated with purchases across all
categories, and this relationship was stronger for low-income households (p<0.05).
Conclusions
Despite expert recommendations that young children do not consume Sugar-sweetened
beverages, households with young children purchase more sweetened fruit drinks than
unsweetened juices. Extensive TV advertising for children's drink brands may exacerbate
the racial and income disparities in sugar-sweetened beverage purchases. Public health
initiatives to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption by young children and
restrictions on marketing sugar-sweetened beverages to children are necessary.
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 26, 2021
Identification
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© 2021 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
