Sugar-sweetened beverages are the primary driver of added sugar consumption for children, which has reached catastrophic levels and is fueling a childhood obesity epidemic. Something must change. The most effective changes will occur at the system level to make healthy options more affordable and accessible to all Americans.
As system changes are pursued, we can also make progress at the individual, family, and community levels. However, for individual-level change to be effective, we must understand what truly drives people to change their behavior. And current research leaves a gap in this area. Existing research on what leads caregivers to buy sugary drinks for their kids—and their perceived reasons for not stopping this behavior—has asked about what they would do. Our research focuses on what they actually did. Past behavior is a far better predictor of future actions than perceived (and idealized) projections of our future selves.
Based on interviews with caregivers who stopped giving or limited their kids’ sugary drinks, we uncovered five distinct outcomes they were seeking, and the circumstances that drove them to quit or reduce sugary drink intake:
- “Help me prioritize my kid’s long-term health as I’m prioritizing mine.”
- “Help me fix my child’s disruptive behavior.”
- “Help me feel like a better parent.”
- “Help me cut down on sodas for my child’s long-term health.”
- “Help me build healthy habits for my vulnerable child.”
Why does this matter? Because thousands of other caregivers around the country are in similar situations, with similar desires to improve their children’s health, behavior, and livelihoods. And with a clearer understanding of what causes caregivers to change their behavior, health care providers, public health officials, and policymakers can speak to caregivers and children and establish policies that can shift behavior and improve health.
In this report, we outline both what causes parents to change and how a variety of stakeholders can leverage that knowledge to improve health and well-being across the country, and perhaps, the world.
