US parent perspectives on teen caffeine intake: An opportunity for health care provider guidance.

Purpose: To explore parental knowledge and behaviors regarding their adolescent's intake of caffeine to provide context as to what guidance from health care providers could be helpful for families. Methods: Data were collected in February 2024 as part of a nationally representative online panel survey of US parents. Weighted percentages and bivariate associations between survey responses and respondent characteristics were generated. Results: Among the 1095 respondents, about two-thirds of parents reported that their teen consumes caffeine at least one day per week. Parents of daily caffeine consumers were less informed about the caffeine content of beverages they purchase and less likely to report that their teen knows about the risks of "too much" caffeine. Parents who rarely look at caffeine amounts were less likely to agree that they know which products have high caffeine and whether their teen is consuming too much caffeine. Parents believe most teen caffeine consumption occurs at home and, among parents who report their teen consumes caffeine at least four days per week, to be primarily motivated by taste. Conclusions: Parental perspectives related to their teen's caffeine consumption indicate an opportunity for health care providers to educate and promote family discussions regarding caffeine intake.