Impact of a School-Based Intervention on Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Substitution by Water in Mexican Scholars

Abstract

Introduction: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has increased in recent years, associated with substituting plain water intake with sugar-sweetened beverages. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a school-based intervention that aimed to replace sugar-sweetened beverages with water on Mexican scholars. Methods: We included 314 children aged 9–11 from three public schools of the State of Hidalgo, Mexico, randomized to intervention (two schools from the municipality of Apan; six classes with 146 participants) or control group (one school from the municipality of Emiliano Zapata; six classes with 168 participants) and followed for 6 months. The intervention consisted of placing drinking fountains at schools and classrooms with nutritional education lessons to increase water consumption and decrease sugar-sweetened beverages. Mixed models for repeated measures were used to assess the impact of the intervention. Results: At the end of the study, water consumption was higher (200 mL/day, p = 0.005), and flavored milk consumption was lower (94 mL/day, p = 0.044) in the intervention group compared with the control group. There was also a statistically significant reduction in energy (p = 0.016) and sugar intake (p = 0.007). Conclusions: The school-based intervention favorably modified the consumption pattern of sugar-sweetened beverages and water in Mexican students.