Prevention of Excessive Weight Gain by Discouraging Students From Drinking Sodas

School Randomised Trial on Prevention of Excessive Weight Gain by Discouraging Students From Drinking Sodas

The purpose of this study was to encourage students to reduce soft drinks intake, substituting it by water, in order to prevent and control overweight prevalence.

During seven months of one school year, a healthy lifestyle education programme was implemented using simple messages encouraging water consumption instead of sugar sweetened carbonated beverages. The messages were previously tested for understanding in two small groups of children of the same age and socio-economic background as the study participants. Also, beliefs and behaviors of children in these focus groups were recorded in order to orient activities and the production of printed materials to be given to participants. Education was delivered via classroom activities; banners were hung promoting water consumption, and water bottles with the logo of the campaign were given to children and schoolteachers.

randomized controlled trials, soft drinks, hypercholesterolemia, serum cholesterol, blood glucose, overweight, carbonated beverages

The control group received two one-hour general sessions on health issues and printed general advices regarding healthy diets.

Intervention was focused on the reduction in consumption of sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages by students. During seven months of one school year, a healthy lifestyle education programme was implemented using simple messages encouraging water consumption instead of sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages. Education was delivered via classroom activities; banners were hung promoting water consumption, and water bottles with the logo of the campaign were given to children and schoolteachers.

The centre of the campaign was to encourage the exchange of sugar-sweetened beverages for water. Ten one-hour sessions of activities facilitated by four trained research assistants were assigned for each class. The activities required 20-30 min and teachers were encouraged to reiterate the message during their lesson. Classroom quizzes and games using water v. sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages as the theme, as well as song and drawing competitions, were promoted. In addition, a musician using a tambourine helped each class to collectively develop songs related to drinking water and reducing the consumption of sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages. This musical activity was conducted during three one-hour sessions.

We have calculated changes in body mass index (BMI in follow-up minus BMI on baseline) and compared mean changes between control and intervention groups, in order to address differences in BMI gain among groups.

Prevalence of overweight was assessed in both groups (intervention and control) in baseline and at the end of follow-up, according to standard definition proposed by Cole et al., 2000. Then, we evaluated changes in prevalences among groups.

Prevalence of obesity was assessed in both groups (intervention and control) in baseline and at the end of follow-up, according to standard definition proposed by Cole et al., 2000. Then, we evaluated changes in prevalences among groups.

Inclusion Criteria: 4th grade morning classes Exclusion Criteria: Pregnancy Physical disabilities preventing anthropometric measurement

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