Mothers' Health Awareness and Its Impact on Children's Dairy Product Intakes

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of mothers' awareness of diet and disease relationships on children's dairy product consumption. Using data from the 1994–1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the 1994–1996 Diet and Health Knowledge Survey implemented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the study compared the difference in children's low‐fat milk and whole milk consumption in terms of the role of mothers' health awareness. The analysis also considered mothers' health characteristics and sociodemographic characteristics such as mothers' education level and household income. The results suggested that mothers' awareness of diet and health relationships increased their teen children's dairy consumption, although mothers' health awareness did not affect dairy product consumption for preschool children and primary school children.