What Happens When Parents and Children Go Grocery Shopping? An Observational Study of Latino Dyads in Southern California, USA.

The objective of this study was to observe parent-child interactions in tiendas, limited assortment food stores catering to Latinos in the United States, and to examine the extent to which child involvement influenced these interactions and their purchase outcomes. Two confederates, one posing as a tienda employee and one posing as a customer, observed the entire shopping trip of 100 Latino parent-child (mean age = 8 years) dyads and coded the following: number and type of parent- and child-initiated request interactions, types of purchase influence attempts used by children and how parents responded, and whether the product was purchased. Level of child involvement was examined as a potential influencing factor on purchasing. The observations were relatively short (mean duration of 10 minutes), reflecting the "quick trip" nature of the observed shopping trips. From the 100 parent-child dyads, 144 request interactions were observed, and among dyads with at least 1 request interaction during the shopping trip, the average number of request interactions per dyad was 2. Children initiated most of the request interactions by asking for a product or simply placing it in the basket; parents initiated 24% of the request interactions. Child involvement in shopping and checkout were associated with spending and purchase outcomes. These results indicate that children and parents influence each other during grocery shopping, and children who are more involved have greater influence over purchases. Furthermore, this study identified a number of targets for future family/parent and consumer food environment interventions.

Adolescents' use of indoor tanning: a large-scale evaluation of psychosocial, environmental, and policy-level correlates.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated psychosocial, built-environmental, and policy-related correlates of adolescents' indoor tanning use. METHODS: We developed 5 discrete data sets in the 100 most populous US cities, based on interviews of 6125 adolescents (aged 14-17 years) and their parents, analysis of state indoor tanning laws, interviews with enforcement experts, computed density of tanning facilities, and evaluations of these 3399 facilities' practices regarding access by youths. After univariate analyses, we constructed multilevel models with generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). RESULTS: In the past year, 17.1% of girls and 3.2% of boys had used indoor tanning. The GLMMs indicated that several psychosocial or demographic variables significantly predicted use, including being female, older, and White; having a larger allowance and a parent who used indoor tanning and allowed their adolescent to use it; and holding certain beliefs about indoor tanning's consequences. Living within 2 miles of a tanning facility also was a significant predictor. Residing in a state with youth-access legislation was not significantly associated with use. CONCLUSIONS: Current laws appear ineffective in reducing indoor tanning; bans likely are needed. Parents have an important role in prevention efforts.

Youth access to artificial UV radiation exposure: practices of 3647 US indoor tanning facilities.

OBJECTIVE: To assess indoor tanning facility practices in a sample of facilities in 116 cities representing all 50 states. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: United States. PARTICIPANTS: Employees of 3647 indoor tanning facilities were contacted by telephone. Data collectors (ie, confederates) posed as prospective, fair-skinned, 15-year-old female customers who had never tanned before. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Confederates asked respondents about their facility's practices related to parental consent, parental accompaniment, and allowable tanning session frequency. RESULTS: Approximately 87% of the facilities required parental consent, 14% required parental accompaniment, 5% said they would not allow the confederate to tan owing to her age, and 71% would allow tanning every day the first week of indoor tanning. In Wisconsin, which bans indoor tanning among those younger than 16 years, 70% of facilities would not allow the confederate to tan. Multivariate analyses indicated that facilities in states with a youth access law were significantly more likely to require parental consent (P <.001) and parental accompaniment (P <.001) than those in states without a youth access law. Law was not significantly related to allowable tanning frequency (P = .81). Conclusion We recommend that additional states pass youth access legislation, preferably in the form of bans.

Comparing two methods of measuring legislation compliance among indoor tanning facilities.

BACKGROUND: Accurate measurement of compliance by tanning facilities to indoor tanning legislation is important. OBJECTIVE: This study compared a telephone-based measurement procedure with a face-to-face visit. METHODS: Indoor tanning facilities (N = 115) in San Diego County, California, were contacted by two adolescents posing as prospective customers using each method. Two compliance variables were assessed: number of times one can tan during 1 week and written parental consent for minors. RESULTS: Facility compliance with the frequency variable by face-to-face and telephone was 25.5% and 17.5%, respectively. These rates for the parental consent variable were 73.3% and 80.8%, respectively. Percent agreement between data collection methods was 71.3% for compliance with the frequency recommendation and 76.3% for parental consent regulation. Although traditional statistical tests indicated poor concordance, an alternative test indicated good concordance. LIMITATIONS: Levels of concordance for the confederates differed. CONCLUSION: Telephone assessment of compliance is fairly comparable with the more labor-intensive, face-to-face assessment.

Promotion of frequent tanning sessions by indoor tanning facilities: two studies.

BACKGROUND: Indoor tanning may increase the risk of melanoma and other health problems. Frequent users of indoor tanning facilities may be at particularly high risk. OBJECTIVE: In study 1 our purpose was to assess the prevalence and nature of indoor tanning advertisements; in study 2 we aimed to assess tanning facility compliance to recommended exposure schedules. METHODS: In study 1, tanning facility advertisements over a 4-month period from 24 San Diego County newspapers were monitored. In study 2, we assessed compliance with recommended exposure schedules via a telephone interview of 60 San Diego County tanning facilities. RESULTS: Approximately 75% of the indoor tanning advertisements promoted unlimited tanning. Only 5% of facilities were in compliance with recommended tanning schedules, and 100% offered "unlimited" tanning packages. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the indoor tanning industry, through pricing incentives that allow frequent sessions, may be promoting overexposure to UVR. Stronger legislation is needed to address this issue.