Children Heavily Influenced By What Parents Drink

05 Sep 2016 --- New research shows that children’s drinking habits are significantly influenced by what their parents drink, with children twice as likely to drink something if their parents drink it frequently. The data, commissioned by the Natural Hydration Council, surveyed children aged 4-8 years old, along with their parents.

The study showed that fizzy drink habits had the biggest influence, with children whose parents drink them, being three times more likely to consume fizzy drinks than other 4-8 year olds.

Where parents drank fruit juice, children were more than twice as likely to also drink fruit juice, and whilst more than six in ten of the children surveyed drank plain water daily, the parental influence was still able to impact their overall consumption, with a rise to 87 per cent where parents drink plain water often.

The study claims to show how the habits of parents could cause children to fall out of line with the latest healthy eating recommendations. 

Dr Emma Derbyshire, children’s nutrition adviser to the Natural Hydration Council and author of the report, said: “It’s not that surprising that what parents are drinking is having an influence on their children’s drink choices. However what is interesting is the extent to which habits such as drinking fizzy drinks are being mirrored by children.”

“The majority of parents are actively trying to encourage their children to have frequent drinks of plain water, but this report shows they must also consider that children may be more likely to be influenced by what they see their parents doing rather than what parents are telling their child to do. If you drink plain water rather than fizzy drinks in front of your child it may help to develop this habit.”

Emma Kenny, child physiologist, also commented on the study, saying: “Every child is a copy cat kid at heart and parents are their major role models, meaning they pick up on parents’ behavior easily.”

Kenny continued: “As a parent, it’s essential to provide your children with a healthy mindset, ensuring they are making positive choices when it comes to selecting what their drink of choice will be. The research highlights that children often mimic their parent’s selections and this means that parents are in the perfect position to enable the best choice possible. If parents choose plain water as their main beverage, it follows that children will make it their main drink of choice, leading to healthy, hydrated kids.”