Food & Nutrition

Nearly 1 in 5 parents think their teen does not get enough protein. 2 in 5 parents say their teen has consumed protein supplements in the past year; this is higher for teen boys than girls. 1 in 3 parents use protein supplements themselves and are more likely to report their teen also consumes protein supplements.

1 in 4 parents say their teen consumes caffeine every day or nearly every day. 2 in 3 parents think they know whether their teen is consuming too much caffeine. 1 in 3 parents do not identify recommended caffeine limits for teens.

1 in 3 parents think that the standard American diet is healthy for children age 3-10. 1 in 8 parents make their child finish everything on their plate. 3 in 5 parents will make something different if their child does not like what other family members are eating.

3 in 5 parents say it's hard to get their child to eat a well-balanced diet. Half of parents report their child regularly takes a dietary supplement. Parents from lower-income households are less likely to give their child a dietary supplement or discuss supplement use with their child's doctor.

Around one in five parents say they are often too stressed to cook. One in six parents say their child eats fast food at least twice a week. Three in five parents try to limit unhealthy items when their child eats fast food.

1 in 20 parents say their tween currently uses health apps. 2 in 3 parents are concerned about their tween being targeted by ads from health apps. Most parents want input from their tween’s health care provider on using health apps, but only 3% have talked with their tween’s provider. 38% of parents would not allow their tween to use an app that tracks health information.

3 in 4 parents say their home tap water is safe for their child to drink. 1 in 3 parents believe the city or county would notify them if there was a problem with their home water supply. Two-thirds of parents from higher-income households report that both home tap water and school drinking fountains are safe for their child to drink, compared to only half of lower-income parents.

1 in 10 parents reported their child had ever gotten sick from eating spoiled or contaminated food. One-third of parents say their child has gotten sick from food eaten at their own home. Parents cite restaurants as the most common source of food poisoning, but only 25% check health inspection ratings before dining out.

1 in 5 parents don’t think it is important to limit junk food and fast food in their child’s diet. Parents’ biggest challenges around healthy eating include cost, convenience, and children’s food preferences. Nearly all parents believe childhood eating habits have a lifelong impact on health, but only 1 in 6 parents say their child’s diet is very healthy.

1 in 6 parents report their teen has tried a gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian or paleo diet. Challenges include cost and time to prepare special diet foods, and dealing with occasions such as eating out or family gatherings. Nearly half of parents had their teen begin taking vitamins or supplements when they started a special diet.