Parental \ household norms: Do they influence adolescent consumption - A study of milk selection and consumption among 11-13 year olds

Abstract

There are many factors that influence food selection and consumption. The two broad categories are household influences and external influences. Such influences have a significant bearing on the choice of food products consumed among adolescents.

The main purpose of this research is to understand how parental influence in the household environment is responsible for setting food consumption preferences among adolescents in the age range of 11-13 years. The subject of passive adolescent adherence to active parental influence is studied in the context of milk consumption. This research aims at understanding the influence of factors (parental and external communications received) within the home environment that may tend to create a preference among the 11-13 year olds for a specific category of milk based upon its fat content: Full fat/whole or reduced fat/skimmed milk. The age range of 11-13 years has been selected as it is an age group where children are at the threshold of their adolescent phase of life and this also marks the onset of puberty, which leads to changes in behaviour pattern, expectations and life experiences. This age group borrows habits and norms set during their childhood years in some form or other, especially when they make food choices in their home environment. Case based research methodology was followed. An intermediate school was approached in order to get respondent participation. A total of nine families/households participated in the study. As food choice decisions with a specific focus on milk involve parents of adolescents in the household, groupinterview sessions were conducted with parent and child. The groups were interviewed in pairs (adolescent and the primary purchaser\parent of the adolescent within the household). The study revealed that most adolescents borrowed their milk drinking habits from childhood and hence stayed with full cream milk. Parental norms dominated the food choices made in households and this did extend to milk. Most parents perceived full cream milk to be a better option for their children during their adolescent years. Parents associated full cream milk with higher nourishment. Adolescents were more in favour of the creamy texture of full cream/whole milk as compared to the dilute texture of low fat or skimmed milk. At a brand level, milk as a product enjoyed more of category loyalty than brand loyalty. Results of the research indicate that external influences like mass and personal communication have the potential to swing the household decision in favour of a milk category or brand. External mass communication influences were mainly competitive cooking shows, television advertisements, school, and peer pressure. Personal communication received was in the form of medical advice, peer pressure at school, food blogs or other social networking websites. The findings on parental dominance in food choice selection may be studied in further detail to understand the perceived nutritional value of other food products purchased in a household. To further this line of enquiry, the trend that is followed among households as regards food products purchased for adolescents and another set of food products sourced for adults within the same household can be studied to get better insight on food selection decisions within the home environment. It may be interesting to study whether parental attitudes in households translates into buying high calorie products (those with high fat content) or high sugary ones (forinstance spreads) for their adolescents, while buying low fat and low on sugar products for themselves. The healthfulness of such foods for adolescents in light of adolescent health literature will provide insight into gaps in research and pragmatic considerations existing in context of research on food choice decisions made on behalf of adolescents by parents with reference to healthfulness.