Reducing Sugar-sweetened Beverage Consumption in Overweight Adolescents

We are partnering with community organizations (including high schools) in the greater Boston area and a major regional supermarket. Participants will be 240 high school students who drink at least 1 serving of sugar-sweetened beverage (including 100% fruit juices) per day and who have a BMI ≥ 85th percentile. They will be randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. The intervention, of 1-year duration, will target the home/family environment in combination with a behavioral intervention provided during brief check-in visits. The environment will be changed by delivering non-caloric beverages to the homes of adolescents who regularly consume sugar-sweetened beverages. Parents will be counseled by telephone to serve as role models in consuming non-caloric beverages. The behavioral intervention for the adolescents will include didactic and experiential components during the check-in visits. Study outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 1 year (end of intervention period), and 2 years (end of follow-up period).

Additional relevant material based on the original proposal (NIH grant application) is provided below:

Each outcome will be compared between groups using a general linear model, adjusted for baseline covariates that could affect body weight: sex, race, ethnicity (Hispanic vs non-Hispanic), household income, parents' education, BMI, beverage consumption (sugar-sweetened, artificially sweetened, unsweetened), energy intake (total, sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juice), physical activity level, and daily television viewing. Each covariate will be tested for confounding, mediation, and interaction effects on the primary outcome. Stratum-specific estimates of the group difference will be constructed for any covariates showing significant interaction.

Inclusion criteria

• Enrolled in grade 9 or 10
• BMI ≥ 85th percentile for age and gender
• Residing in predominately one household, with access to a working telephone
• Consumption of 12 fluid ounces sugar-sweetened beverages (including 100% fruit juices) per day

Exclusion criteria

• Sibling participating in the study
• Intention to change location of residence during the 2 years post-randomization
• Plans to be away from home for 5 weeks or longer during the study period
• Physician diagnosis of a major medical illness or eating disorder
• Chronic use of any medication that may affect body weight or composition
• Current smoking
• Physical, mental, or cognitive handicaps that prevent participation