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The association between sugar-sweetened beverage availability in school vending machines and school staff sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

ABSTRACT: Reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is a leading strategy to help combat high rates of adult obesity and overweight. Regulating SSB sales in schools has reduced access among youth. However, current federal school nutrition standards are focused on student rather than staff environments (i.e. school staff lounges). This study examines the association between the availability of SSBs in school vending machines and school staff SSB consumption. The study sample included 51 public schools in California, Oregon, Washington, Maryland, and Washington DC participating in an evaluation of Kaiser Permanente's Thriving Schools initiative in school year 2017-18. Data collection included: 1) observations of school cafeterias, staff lounges, stores and outdoor snack areas for the presence of, and content in, vending machines, and 2) an online survey of school staff about their SSB consumption. Fifty-nine percent (n = 1586) of staff responded to the survey; 1229 (77% of respondents) reported on SSB consumption. Thirty percent of schools had staff lounges with SSB vending machines and 34% of staff reported drinking ?1 SSBs/day. On average, the probability of consuming ?1 SSBs/day was 6.6% greater in staff in schools with SSBs available in staff lounge vending machines (95% CI: 0.11%, 13.12%). Staff in schools with SSB vending machines in staff lounges were more likely to report consuming ?1 SSBs per day compared to staff without SSB vending in staff lounges. Examining the impact of extending SSB regulations to the entire school environment on school staff SSB consumption is an important next step.

SUBMITTER: Rauzon S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7272513 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The association between sugar-sweetened beverage availability in school vending machines and school staff sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

Rauzon Suzanne S Randel-Schreiber Hallie H Kuo Elena E Schwartz Pamela P Reed Annie L AL Thompson Hannah R HR

Preventive medicine reports 20200527

Reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is a leading strategy to help combat high rates of adult obesity and overweight. Regulating SSB sales in schools has reduced access among youth. However, current federal school nutrition standards are focused on student rather than staff environments (i.e. school staff lounges). This study examines the association between the availability of SSBs in school vending machines and school staff SSB consumption. The study sample included 51 public sc ...[more]

PMID: 32518741

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Project description:BackgroundSchool nutrition policies can encourage restrictions in sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) availability in school food outlets in order to discourage students' SSB intake. The main objective was to examine how beverage availability in school vending machines changes over three school years across schools in distinct school nutrition policy contexts. Secondary objectives were to examine how students' weekday SSB intake varies with time and identify longitudinal associations between beverage availability and SSB intake.MethodsThis longitudinal study used data from the COMPASS study (2013/14-2015/16), representing 7679 students from 78 Canadian secondary schools and three provincial school nutrition policy contexts (Alberta - voluntary guidelines, Ontario public - mandatory guidelines, and Ontario private schools - no guidelines). We assessed availability of 10 beverage categories in schools' vending machines via the COMPASS School Environment Application and participants' intake of three SSB varieties (soft drinks, sweetened coffees/teas, and energy drinks) via a questionnaire. Hierarchical regression models were used to examine whether: i) progression of time and policy group were associated with beverage availability; and, ii) beverage availability was associated with students' SSB intake.ResultsOntario public schools were significantly less likely than the other policy groups to serve SSBs in their vending machines, with the exception of flavoured milks. Vending machine beverage availability was consistent over time. Participants' overall SSB intake remained relatively stable; reductions in soft drink intake were partially offset by increased sweetened coffee/tea consumption. Relative to Ontario public schools, attending school in Alberta was associated with more frequent energy drink intake and overall SSB intake whereas attending an Ontario private school was associated with less frequent soft drink intake, with no differences in overall SSB intake. Few beverage availability variables were significantly associated with participants' SSB intake.ConclusionsMandatory provincial school nutrition policies were predictive of more limited SSB availability in school vending machines. SSB intake was significantly lower in Ontario public and private schools, although we did not detect a direct association between SSB consumption and availability. The findings provide support for mandatory school nutrition policies, as well as the need for comprehensive school- and broader population-level efforts to reduce SSB intake.

Project description:ImportanceSweetened beverage taxes are one policy approach to reduce intake of added sugars. Soda is the leading source of added sugars in the US diet, but few studies have examined how such taxes influence sweetened beverage intake in youth.ObjectiveTo estimate the association between the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, beverage tax and adolescent soda intake.Design, setting, and participantsThis economic evaluation of school district-level Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data from September 2013 to December 2019 compared weekly soda intake in high school students in Philadelphia, a city with a sweetened beverage tax, with that in 7 comparison cities without beverage taxes. Difference-in-differences regression modeling was used to estimate change in soda intake in Philadelphia compared with control cities. Secondary analyses compared 100% juice and milk intake to explore potential substitution associations. Subgroup analyses evaluated differences by race and ethnicity and weight status (obesity and overweight or obesity). Analyses were performed between August 20 and October 20, 2020. School districts that had weighted data and a survey question on weekly soda intake from 2013 to 2019 were included. The study included high school students, grades 9 to 12, in school districts participating in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System from 2013 to 2019.ExposuresImplementation of a sweetened beverage tax in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in January 2017.Main outcomes and measuresReported weekly servings of soda, 100% juice, and milk.ResultsA total of 86 928 participants (weighted mean [SD] age, 15.8 [1.3] years; 49% female) from 8 US cities (including Philadelphia) were included. Before the tax, adolescents in the 7 comparison cities had a mean intake of 4 servings of soda per week compared with 5.4 servings per week in Philadelphia. Philadelphia's tax was associated with a reduction of 0.81 servings of soda per week (95% CI, -1.48 to -0.14 servings; P = .02) 2 years after tax implementation. There was no significant difference in 100% juice or milk intake, although Philadelphia adolescents consumed more juice than those in nontaxed cities. In subgroup analyses, the tax was associated with a reduction of 1.13 servings per week in Hispanic/Latinx adolescents (95% CI, -2.04 to -0.23 servings; P = .01) and 1.2 servings per week in adolescents with obesity (95% CI, -2.33 to -0.13 servings; P = .03).Conclusions and relevanceThis economic evaluation found that a sweetened beverage tax was associated with a reduction in soda intake among adolescents, providing evidence that such taxes can improve dietary behaviors.

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The association between sugar-sweetened beverage availability in school vending machines and school staff sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

Publications

The association between sugar-sweetened beverage availability in school vending machines and school staff sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

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