Acad Pediatr

ObjectiveTo explore parental and home environmental facilitators of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and water consumption among obese/overweight Latino youth.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 55 overweight/obese Latino youth aged 10-18 and 55 parents, recruited from school-based clinics and a school in one West-coast district. All youth consumed SSBs regularly and lived in a home where SSBs were available. We used qualitative methods to examine key themes around beliefs about SSBs and water, facilitators of SSB and water consumption, and barriers to reducing SSB consumption.ResultsA few parents and youth believed that sports drinks are healthy. Although nearly all felt that water is healthy, most parents and about half of youth thought that tap water is unsafe. About half of parent-child dyads had discordant beliefs regarding their perceptions of tap water. About half of parents believed that home-made culturally relevant drinks (e.g., aguas frescas), which typically contain sugar, fruit, and water, were healthy due to their \ue2\u20ac\u153natural\ue2\u20ac? ingredients. Participants cited home availability as a key factor in SSB consumption. About half of parents set no rules about SSB consumption at home. Among those with rules, most parent-child pairs differed on their beliefs about the content of the rules, and youth reported few consequences for breaking rules.ConclusionsObesity programs for Latino youth should address misconceptions around water, and discuss culturally relevant drinks and sports drinks as potential sources of weight gain. Healthcare providers can help parents set appropriate rules by educating about the risks of keeping SSBs at home.DP000056-01/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United StatesR24 MD001648/MD/NIMHD NIH HHS/United StatesR24 MD001648/MD/NIMHD NIH HHS/United StatesU48 DP000056/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United StatesU48 DP000883/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States2014-07-01T00:00:00Z23680295PMC370646