摘要：Objectives. We examined trends from 1999 to 2010 in adolescents’ self-reported fast-food restaurant use alongside maternal reports of fast-food consumption and purchasing from restaurants for family meals. Methods. Middle- and high-school student participants from Minneapolis–St Paul, Minnesota, represented diverse ethnic/racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Adolescents completed classroom-administered surveys and maternal caregivers responded by phone or mail. Results. The overall prevalence of frequent fast-food consumption, defined as 3 or more times per week, decreased from 1999 to 2010 among adolescents (1999: 25%; 2010: 19%; P < .001) and maternal caregivers (1999: 17%; 2010: 11%; P < .001), but sociodemographic disparities were apparent. For example, the prevalence of frequent fast-food consumption remained highest and did not significantly decrease among Black or Native American youths. The overall prevalence of frequent fast-food purchases for family meals did not significantly decrease; large decreases were observed only among Hispanic families (1999: 18%; 2010: 6%; P < .001). Conclusions. In light of previous findings linking frequent fast-food consumption to greater weight gain and poor nutrition, the observed decreases in consumption are encouraging and interventions are needed to address observed disparities. National data for adolescents and adults indicate that foods consumed away from home, as well as a growing proportion of those consumed at home, are frequently purchased at fast-food restaurants. 1–3 These patterns are of public health concern as numerous studies have linked frequent consumption of fast food to weight gain and poor diets. 4–6 In contrast to the nutritional consequences associated with fast food, research suggests that adolescents and parents who regularly eat together at mealtimes tend to have better diets. 7–12 Despite some evidence of socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in the healthfulness of foods prepared at home and served at family meals, 13 this relationship between family meals and dietary intake likely represents greater exposure to healthful foods at shared mealtimes. Frequently purchasing fast food for family meals may compromise these nutrition-related benefits. 14–18 National data on adolescent dietary patterns also indicate that the proportion of energy from foods prepared at fast-food restaurants but consumed at home has increased in recent decades 2 ; thus, it is important to examine whether parallel changes have occurred in the frequency of purchasing fast food for family meals. This information along with complementary data for adolescents and their parents on trends in overall fast-food consumption may have important implications for interventions. To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies have examined secular trends in purchasing fast food for family meals or secular changes in fast-food consumption among parents who serve as role models for their children. The most recent published data on secular changes in adolescent fast-food consumption do not describe trends beyond 2008. 2,3 We designed the current study to help fill these research gaps and guide the development of strategies to support adolescents and their families in sharing mealtimes while limiting consumption of foods prepared at fast-food restaurants. The aim was to examine secular trends in adolescent reports of fast-food consumption alongside maternal reports of their own fast-food consumption and purchasing for family meals. We examined trends from 1999 to 2010 in a large, diverse population-based sample, and therefore capture a period in which there was growing attention given to the large portions and high energy density of fast-food restaurant menu items. 19,20 In addition, the diversity of the sample allowed for investigation of these trends by sociodemographic characteristics as any identified differences may be important to consider in the tailoring of interventions.
