Beverage intake improvement by high school students in Saskatchewan, Canada

Area of Science:

• Public Health Nutrition
• Adolescent Health
• Health Education

Background:

• Adolescent beverage consumption in North America has shifted from milk to sugary drinks.
• High intake of sugary beverages is linked to increased risks of bone fractures, obesity, and dental decay.
• Effective nutrition education is needed to address unhealthy beverage habits in adolescents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the 'Fluids Used Effectively for Living' school-nutrition education program.
• To assess the program's impact on nutrition knowledge, attitude, and self-reported behavior of grade 9 students.
• To compare the efficacy of single versus multiple peer educator models.

Main Methods:

• A school-based nutrition education program was implemented over 6 weeks in Saskatchewan, Canada.
• Grade 9 students were assigned to intervention (peer educator) or control groups.
• Beverage intake was monitored pre-intervention and at a 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Intervention groups showed a significant decrease in sugary beverage intake, sustained for 3 months.
• Control groups increased juice intake, and carbonated sugary drink intake declined but was not sustained.
• The positive impact on juice and sugary beverage intake in the single peer educator model group was not sustained after statistical correction.

Conclusions:

• A peer educator-delivered, school-based nutrition education program can effectively reduce sugary beverage intake in high school students.
• Sustained behavior change requires careful consideration of program delivery models and reinforcement.
• Targeted nutrition education is a viable strategy for promoting healthier beverage choices in adolescents.