FOOD CHOICE AND FAT INTAKE OF ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS - ASSOCIATIONS OF INTAKES WITHIN SOCIAL NETWORKS

Background. Influences of the social environment are important in dete rmining eating behavior. Family influences have been demonstrated by r esemblances in intakes within families, but research on resemblance in intake between friends is lacking. We investigated the resemblance in fat and food intake within social networks that included family membe rs and peers. Methods. Fat consumption was assessed with a food freque ncy questionnaire in 361 social networks consisting of 15-year-old ado lescents (n = 347), their mothers (n = 309), their fathers (n = 270), their friends (n = 240), 79 friends of mothers, and 29 friends of fath ers. Ten family interviews and four focus group interviews were carrie d out in a subsample. Results. Within the nuclear family, the intake o f 76 to 94% of the foods was significantly associated, which resulted in moderate Pearson correlations for fat and fatty acid intake (% of e nergy intake) between parents (0.30-0.34), between mother and child (0 .19-0.38), and between father and child (0.16-0.26). No significant co rrelations for fat intake were found between friends, but the consumpt ion of specific foods was related. Conclusions. We found clear resembl ance in habitual fat and food intake between parents and their adolesc ent children and between spouses. Friends do not seem to have a lot of influence on the fat intake of adolescents and adults in this populat ion. (C) 1998 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.