CNPAS

Recorded Dietary Sodium Intakes and their health implications : 2007 Children''s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (CNPAS)

Recorded Dietary Sodium Intakes and their health implications : 2007 Children''s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (CNPAS)

Introduction

Children and adolescents adopt certain dietary behaviors that previous studies suggested might track into adulthood ([Mikkila et al., 2005] and [Wang et al., 2002]). It is therefore important to promote healthy eating among the youth to prevent occurrence of chronic conditions later on in life, particularly obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. There are many ways by which promoting healthy eating among the youth can be achieved. However, one of the suggested means was to educate the parents and enhance their awareness about their own health as well as that of their children. This approach assumes that parents are gate keepers and role models for their children and that their nutrition beliefs and behaviors may actually influence that of their offspring.

However, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that dietary intake among the youth moderately resembles that of their parents, particularly in the United States. To date, around fifteen such studies have been conducted ([Adelekan and Adeodu, 1997], [Cullen et al., 2002], [Feunekes et al., 1998], [Feunekes et al., 1997], [Fisher et al., 2002], [French et al., 2001], [Galloway et al., 2005], [Laskarzewski et al., 1980], [Oliveria et al., 1992], [Park et al., 2004], [Patterson et al., 1988], [Perusse et al., 1988], [Rossow and Rise, 1994], [Stafleu et al., 1994] and [Vauthier et al., 1996]), seven of which were carried out in non-representative samples within the United States, limiting the ability to produce national population estimates. A number of published studies support familial resemblance in dietary patterns ([Adelekan and Adeodu, 1997], [Laskarzewski et al., 1980], [Oliveria et al., 1992], [Patterson et al., 1988], [Perusse et al., 1988], [Rossow and Rise, 1994], [Stafleu et al., 1994] and [Vauthier et al., 1996]). On the other hand, other studies show that the association is either very weak or non-existent ([Cullen et al., 2002], [Feunekes et al., 1997] and [Feunekes et al., 1998]). The weak or non-existent association is likely related to young people's eating patterns being affected by a myriad of complex factors, with the influence of parents and the family environment being only one of them ([French et al., 2001], [Popkin, 2006] and [Vereecken et al., 2005]).

Methods

Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) data

Data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII) 1994-96 were used (US Department of Agriculture ARS, 1994-96). A nationally representative multi-stage stratified sample of 16,103 non-institutionalized persons aged 0-90 years contained information about dietary intake (by one or two nonconsecutive 24-h recalls that were 3-10 days apart); socioeconomic, demographic and health parameters (Tippett & Cypel, 1997).

Study population

Parent sample

Among the 16,103 CSFII respondents, we included 9872 who were 20 years or older and had complete data on day 1 of recall. We excluded those over the age of 65 years (n = 2127) and ...