Mothers' Income and Young Adult Children's Education and Fast Food Intake

Objectives: In this study, we examine young adult children's educational attainment as a mediator in the pathway from their mother's income to their fast food consumption. Methods: The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 79 for Children and Young Adults (NLSY79 CY) were used to select mother and children dyads. A total of 5140 dyads were selected as the final sample. We used a mediation model to test mediators in the relationship between mother's income and young adult children's fast food consumption. Results: Mother's income was significantly related to their young adult children's educational attainment. Mother's income was negatively related to fast food consumption. This study revealed partial mediation of the relationship between mother's income and their young adult children's fast food consumption via their young adult children's educational attainment. Conclusions: A new perspective considering mother's economic resources is needed to understand children's education. Mother's income is important to cultivate their young adult children's health behaviors. The intergenerational transmission of mother's economic resources to their young adult children's educational attainment should be considered to understand young adults' fast food consumption.