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Adult Fat Intake Associated with the Presence of Children in Households: Findings from NHANES III

Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa (HHL), Iowa City, IA
Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan (MMD), Ann Arbor, MI
Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan (TPH, MMD), Ann Arbor, MI
Veterans Affairs Center for Practice Management and Outcomes Research, Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System (TPH), Ann Arbor, MI

Correspondence: Corresponding author: Helena H. Laroche, MD, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 601 Highway 6 West, Mailstop 152, Office 3E17A, Iowa City, IA 52246 (E-mail: Helena-Laroche{at}uiowa.edu)

Background: Increasing prevalence of obesity and lifestyle related chronic disease is fundamentally tied to Americans’ poor eating habits. Family environment, including the presence of children, may affect adults’ diet behavior.

Objective: To compare dietary fat intake between adults with and without minor children in the home.

Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional survey data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (NHANES III) public use dataset.

Subjects: Adults aged 17 to 65 years with and without children younger than 17 years old in the home.

Outcome variables: Intake of total fat, saturated fat, and kilocalories based on a 24-hour dietary recall and a selection of high-fat foods from a food frequency questionnaire.

Methods: Linear and logistic regression, accounting for the sample weights and complex survey design.

Results: The presence of children in the household was associated with significantly higher adjusted total fat consumption for adults (4.9 g/24 hours [95% CI: 0.8, 9.1]) and significantly higher adjusted saturated fat consumption (1.7 g/24 hours [0.3, 3.3]). Adults with children ate many high-fat foods more frequently than adults without children, including salty snacks, pizza, cheese, beef, ice cream, cakes/cookies, bacon/sausage/processed meats, and peanuts.

Conclusions: The presence of children in the home may affect adults’ diets. Providers should emphasize dietary discretion for the entire family.

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