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Sugary drinks in schools increase adolescent obesity odds
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New research released this week backs up evidence that adolescents’ dietary intake, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages, is linked to their school food environment.
“Creating school environments that are more conducive to healthy eating and implementing a comprehensive approach that includes all of the environments in which adolescents spend their time will likely provide the greatest benefit in supporting healthy food choices and healthy weights,” Louise Mâsse, MD, of the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, said in a press release.
Louise Mâsse
Researchers from the Child and Family Research Institute at the British Columbia Children’s Hospital in Canada conducted a study of 11,385 secondary school students aged 12 to 18 years (equal number boys and girls) to examine the effect that availability and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have on BMI. Principals from 174 of those schools provided additional feedback on nutritional and physical activity through questionnaires.
Data was gathered from a 2008 Adolescent Health Survey, successfully completed by 29,315 students from a random sampling of public schools and classrooms across the province, stratified by grades and classes. Of the student respondents, 12.7% were categorized as overweight and 3.9% as obese.
The study compared children with obesity against normal weight children, in relation to factors such as school setting, gender, availability of SSBs at school and student consumption of SSBs.
School availability of SSBs was positively associated with moderate (OR=1.15; 95% CI, 1.02-1.3) and high (OR=1.43; 95% CI, 1.13-1.8) SSB intake, according to the study. Availability of SSBs at school (OR=1.5; 95% CI, 1.12-2.01) and their consumption (OR=1.66; 95% CI, 1.19-2.34) were positively associated with student obesity but not with students who were overweight.
Students in suburban and rural schools were more likely to be obese than those attending urban schools, researchers said. Study results also showed the likelihood of obesity was greater in boys than girls.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
Perspective
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Miriam Vos, MD, MSPH
This is an informative study that evaluated associations with sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in school-aged children. Adolescents and young adults remain the highest consumers of sugary drinks and could be at greatest risk of harm considering that habits acquired early in life are often continued. This study showed that self-reported recent consumption of a SSB in seventh- to 12th-graders was associated with obesity, and most would not find that surprising. The more important result is that the presence of SSBs in the school environment was associated with both increased consumption and obesity in these seventh- to 12th-graders. Those opposed to restriction of SSB availability often argue that consumption is a choice; however, children and adolescents do not choose their school environments. SSBs are a commercial product with no nutritional benefit, and thus, any possibility of harm will tip the balance in favor of removal. This study clearly shows that the school’s habits matter and the student’s practices are tied to the school. While school boards and school administrators cannot be responsible for improving the health of children, they should not be creating harmful environments. Fortunately, across the US and Canada, many schools are already decreasing SSB access, and hopefully, studies such as this one will support elimination from the remainder.
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