title: Preventing childhood obesity by reducing consumption of carbonated drinks: cluster randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if a school based educational programme aimed at reducing consumption of carbonated drinks can prevent excessive weight gain in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cluster randomised controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six primary schools in southwest England.
  
  
  METHODS
  644 children aged 7-11 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focused educational programme on nutrition over one school year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Drink consumption and number of overweight and obese children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consumption of carbonated drinks over three days decreased by 0.6 glasses (average glass size 250 ml) in the intervention group but increased by 0.2 glasses in the control group (mean difference 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.1 to 1.3). At 12 months the percentage of overweight and obese children increased in the control group by 7.5%, compared with a decrease in the intervention group of 0.2% (mean difference 7.7%, 2.2% to 13.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A targeted, school based education programme produced a modest reduction in the number of carbonated drinks consumed, which was associated with a reduction in the number of overweight and obese children.
authors.affiliation: Bournemouth Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Dorset BH7 7DW. janet.james@rbch-tr.swest.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cavan
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kerr
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*