Parental Perceptions and Exposure to Advertising of Toddler Milk: A Pilot Study with Latino Parents

Abstract

Marketing of toddler milk (i.e., typically sugar-sweetened nutrient-fortified milk-based drinks marketed for children 12-36 months) is an emerging public health problem in the US. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against the consumption of toddler milk because it often contains added sugar and can displace nutrient-dense foods. Studies have not examined toddler milk perceptions among Latinos, an important gap given Latino children in the US are at high risk of having poor diet quality, and toddler milk is extensively advertised on Spanish-language TV. This study used an online survey of a convenience sample of 58 Latino parents to examine parents' experiences with toddler milk, understand their perceptions of the healthfulness and the nutrition-related claims on toddler milk, and describe their exposure to toddler milk advertising. Nearly half (44%) of parents in the sample reported purchasing toddler milk. When asked to provide open-ended interpretations of claims on toddler milk, almost all parents gave positive answers, suggesting potential "health halo" effects of the claims. More than half (56%) of parents reported seeing toddler milk advertisements, most commonly on Spanish-language TV. The misperceptions about toddler milk identified should be explored in further research using larger, more representative samples.

Keywords: Hispanic Americans; child nutrition sciences; food labeling; pediatric obesity; sugary-sweetened beverage.

Figure 1

Reasons reported why other parents would want their children to drink toddler milk (n = 58).