Reduced availability of sugar-sweetened beverages and diet soda has a limited impact on beverage consumption patterns in Maine high school youth.
OBJECTIVE
To examine change in high school students' beverage consumption patterns pre- and post-intervention of reduced availability of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and diet soda in school food venues.


METHODS
A prospective, quasi-experimental, nonrandomized study design.


METHODS
Public high schools.


METHODS
A convenience sample from control (n = 221) and intervention (n = 235) high schools.


METHODS
Schools aimed to reduce (n = 4) or not change (n = 3) availability of SSB and diet soda in food venues for 1 school year.


METHODS
Subjects' beverage servings/day was determined from a food frequency questionnaire pre- and post-intervention.


METHODS
Two-by-two mixed analysis of variance model compared pre- to post-intervention servings/day between control and intervention subjects, stratified by gender.


RESULTS
Consumption of SSB decreased in both intervention and control boys (F = 53.69, P < .05) and girls (F = 22.87, P < .05). Intervention girls decreased diet soda consumption as compared to control girls (F = 6.57, P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Reducing availability of SSB in schools did not result in a greater decrease in SSB consumption by intervention as compared to control subjects. The impact of reducing availability of SSB at school may be limited. A better understanding of beverage consumption patterns may be needed to determine the efficacy of school food policies on those youth susceptible to obesity.
Blum
Janet E Whatley
JE
Exercise, Health, and Sport Sciences Department, University of Southern Maine, Gorham, Maine 04038, USA. jwblum@usm.maine.edu
Davee
Anne-Marie
AM
Beaudoin
Christina M
CM
Jenkins
Paul L
PL
Kaley
Lori A
LA
Wigand
Debra A
DA
D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005509:Food Dispensers, Automatic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014481:United States
D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D013549:Sweetening Agents