2010 - 19th Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium

Session Time : 4/22/10 10:30 AM - 4/22/10 11:45 AM

Content Area : Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences

Student Presenters :
Emily Michelle Evans Applied Nutrition

Mentors and/or Co-Authors :
Suzie Goodell Food, Bioprocessing & Nutrition Sciences

Abstract Title : How to Motivate Parents to Promote Intake of Calcium-Rich Foods in Early Adolescents

Abstract :
Osteoporosis is a common disease among the elderly linked to deficient calcium intake. Although osteoporosis is not typically considered to be a childhood disease, the origins of deficient calcium intake occur between the ages of 10 and 13 years of age, when children are in a period of peak bone acquisition. Parents and caregivers are a dominant influence on eating, activity, and behaviors of early adolescents. Little is known about what specific messages should be given in order to motivate parents to promote the intake of these calcium-rich foods. We investigated the motives, barriers, and facilitators that prompt parents of 10-13 year olds to promote the intake of these foods in their homes. We conducted two pilot focus groups with parents to determine appropriate data collection methods in a multi-state project. The goal of the focus groups was to elicit more emotion-based responses from parents when asked about what motivates them to provide calcium-rich foods in their homes, compared to the more traditional logic-based responses. We found that by adding a more parent-benefit driven question to the second focus group, parents answered with more emotion-driven responses (e.g. less stressful conversations with others in family; less worry about food choices) in addition to logic-based answers collected in the first focus group (e.g. prevents osteoporosis; good for teeth and bones). This research will be used to assist researchers in developing messages to help motivate parents to provide more calcium-rich foods in their homes.