Impact of a School-Based Intervention on Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Substitution by Water in Mexican Scholars

• Published in: Annals of nutrition and metabolism Vol. 80; no. 3; p. 136
• Main Authors: Olvera, Laura Gabriela Téllez, Martínez, Lilia Castillo, Souza, Bárbara da Silva Nalin de, Sichieri, Rosely, Ruíz Arregui, Liliana, Rodríguez Garcia, Wendy D, de la Torre, Guadalupe Silvia García
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 01-06-2024
• Subjects: Beverages; Child; Drinking; Drinking Water; Female; Humans; Male; Mexico; Pediatric Obesity - epidemiology; Pediatric Obesity - prevention & control; School Health Services; Schools; Sugar-Sweetened Beverages; Mexico; Sugar-sweetened beverages; Water consumption; School; Children
• ISSN: 1421-9697
• DOI: 10.1159/000538142

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has increased in recent years, associated with substituting plain water intake with sugar-sweetened beverages. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a school-based intervention that aimed to replace sugar-sweetened beverages with water on Mexican scholars.
We included 314 children aged 9-11 from three public schools of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, randomized to intervention (two schools from the municipality of Apan; six classes with 146 participants) or control group (one school from the municipality of Emiliano Zapata; six classes with 168 participants) and followed for 6 months. The intervention consisted of placing drinking fountains at schools and classrooms with nutritional education lessons to increase water consumption and decrease sugar-sweetened beverages. Mixed models for repeated measures were used to assess the impact of the intervention.
At the end of the study, water consumption was higher (200 mL/day, p = 0.005), and flavored milk consumption was lower (94 mL/day, p = 0.044) in the intervention group compared with the control group. There was also a statistically significant reduction in energy (p = 0.016) and sugar intake (p = 0.007).
The school-based intervention favorably modified the consumption pattern of sugar-sweetened beverages and water in Mexican students.