Water wins, communication matters

school-based intervention to reduce intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and increase intake of water

Tanja Kamin (Author), Barbara Koroušić-Seljak (Author), Nataša Fidler Mis (Author)

Abstract

We compared three interventions designed for reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) aimed at decreasing the risk of overweight and obesity among children. We included three experimental (n = 508) and one control school (n = 164) in Slovenia (672 children; 10–16 years) to evaluate interventions that influence behaviour change via environmental (E), communication (C), or combined (i.e., double) environmental and communication approaches (EC) compared to no intervention (NOI). Data of children from the ‘intervention’ and ‘non-intervention’ schools were compared before and after the interventions. The quantity of water consumed (average, mL/day) by children increased in the C and EC schools, while it decreased in the E and NOI schools. Children in the C and EC schools consumed less beverages with sugar (SSBs + fruit juices), and sweet beverages (beverages with: sugar, low-calorie and/or noncaloric sweeteners) but consumed more juices. The awareness about the health risks of SSB consumption improved among children of the ‘combined intervention’ EC school and was significantly different from the awareness among children of other schools (p = 0.03). A communication intervention in the school environment has more potential to reduce the intake of SSBs than a sole environmental intervention, but optimum results can be obtained when combined with environmental changes.

Keywords

health communication;childhood obesity;water;sugar-sweetened beverages;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2022
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UL FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
UDC:	612.3:339.138
COBISS:	102140419
ISSN:	2072-6643
Views:	146
Downloads:	54
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary keywords:	Otroci;Čezmerna telesna teža;Uživanje pijač;Socialno trženje;Slovenija;
Type (COBISS):	Article
Pages:	str. 1-12
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ14
Issue:	ǂno. ǂ7
Chronology:	Apr. 2022
DOI:	10.3390/nu14071346
ID:	14834653