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The effect of soft drink availability in elementary schools on consumption
1RAND Corporation, 1775 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90403, USA. meena@rand.org
Journal of the American Dietetic Association
|August 30, 2008
Summary
Limiting soft drink availability in schools had a small impact on overall consumption for elementary students. Further research is needed to understand children's dietary behaviors and improve their diets.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
- Childhood Obesity
Background:
- Soft drink consumption is a significant contributor to poor dietary intake in children.
- Understanding the role of school environments in shaping children's consumption patterns is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the association between soft drink availability in schools, school-based purchases, and overall consumption among U.S. elementary school children.
- To investigate the impact of limiting soft drink availability on consumption behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional, descriptive analysis of 10,215 fifth-grade students from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey-Kindergarten Cohort.
- Data collected through direct interviews on soft drink availability, school purchases, and consumption.
- Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, t tests, and multivariate logistic regressions.
Main Results:
- 26% of children with access to soft drinks at school consumed them.
- Higher school-based consumption was linked to greater overall consumption, particularly in low-income and Black non-Hispanic children.
- Limiting school soft drink availability was associated with a 4% decrease in overall consumption (OR 1.38).
Conclusions:
- Soft drink availability in schools appears to have a limited effect on overall consumption in elementary school children.
- Further research is recommended to explore consumption predictors and the influence of home and school food environments.
- Identifying effective strategies to improve children's diets requires a comprehensive understanding of dietary behaviors.
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