Family size as a determinant of children's dietary intake: A dilution model approach

The dilution model predicts that larger families reduce the amount of resources (time, energy, money) available for each child, thus hindering social and physical development. In this analysis a national sample, involving a disproportionate number of low‐income households, was used to test the effects of family size on nutritional risk, measured by the adequacy of dietary intake among 4‐to‐6‐year‐old children. It was hypothesized that children from small families are at lower nutritional risk than those from medium or large families. It was also hypothesized that children from medium families are at lower nutritional risk than those from large families. After controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, family income and maternal education, these hypotheses received support.