Table 2. Characteristics of Characters (N = 366) Involved in Food Incidents (N = 971) in Adolescents’ 25 Favorite Television Shows, Minnesota, 2010.
| Characteristic | Total % | Snack Incidents, % | Meal Incidents, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | |||
| Male | 58.9 | 62.8 | 60.6 |
| Female | 41.1 | 37.2 | 39.4 |
| Snacks vs meals: χ2, P value | 0.42, .52 | ||
| Snacks vs total: z score, P value | 1.59, .11 | ||
| Age group | |||
| Child/adolescent (<20 y) | 32.5 | 41.8 | 32.2 |
| Young adult (20–29 y) | 17.2 | 13.4 | 17.9 |
| Adult (≥30 y) | 50.3 | 44.8 | 49.9 |
| Snacks vs meals: χ2, P value | 9.14, .01 | ||
| Snacks vs total: z score, P value | 3.98, <.001 | ||
| Race/ethnicity | |||
| White | 76.8 | 80.2 | 78.9 |
| Other | 23.2 | 19.8 | 21.1 |
| Snacks vs meals: χ2, P value | 0.22, .64 | ||
| Snacks vs total: z score, P value | 1.60, .11 | ||
| Socioeconomic statusa | |||
| Poor/lower class | 4.0 | 9.4 | 3.5 |
| Average/middle class | 81.1 | 72.7 | 71.2 |
| Wealthy/upper class | 14.9 | 17.9 | 25.3 |
| Snacks vs meals: χ2, P value | 17.3, <.001 | ||
| Snacks vs total: z score, P value | 5.56, <.001 | ||
| Weightb | |||
| Thin/underweight and average weight | 86.0 | 87.0 | 90.9 |
| Overweight | 9.6 | 10.3 | 5.6 |
| Obese | 4.4 | 2.7 | 3.5 |
| Snacks vs meals: χ2, P value | 6.78, .03 | ||
| Snacks vs total: z score, P value | 0.59, .28 | ||
Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index.
Characters’ socioeconomic status (SES) coded as “poor/lower class,” indicated by material goods (eg, cars, clothing, housing) or references to Medicaid, food shortage, or other needs of low-SES people. Characters coded as “wealthy/upper class,” indicated by material goods (eg, a known celebrity, expensive car, large home) or references to extreme wealth. All other characters coded as “average/middle class.”
A character’s weight status was coded as “thin/underweight” if the character appeared thinner than normal with obvious clavicle bones, facial bones, rib cage, or other bones protruding; if the character’s BMI were calculated, it would be <18.5 kg/m2. A character’s weight status was coded as “overweight” if the character had excess body fat (eg, obvious pot belly); if the character’s BMI were calculated, be 25.0–30.0 kg/m2. A character’s weight status was coded as “obese” if the character carried an excessive amount of weight; if the character’s BMI were calculated, it would likely be >30.0 kg/m2. All other characters were coded as “average weight.”