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Sugary beverages add a significant amount of sugar and calories to the diets of children and adolescents. Choosing healthy beverages, and low- or no-calorie options such as water, instead of high-calorie sugary beverages, has great potential to help children, youth, and families reduce caloric intake, improve diet quality, and reduce their risk for obesity and oral health problems. Yet, access to safe affordable drinking water is not equitable. Research in this area evaluates strategies to increase access to and consumption of healthy beverages and decrease access to and consumption of unhealthy beverages.
Research & Publications See all
January 2025
Healthy Beverage Consumption in School-Age Children and Adolescents: Recommendations from Key National Health and Nutrition Organizations
Given the importance of beverage consumption throughout the lifespan and the need for comprehensive and consistent evidence-based recommendations, Healthy Eating Research (HER) convened an expert panel representing four key national health and nutrition organizations to develop recommendations for beverage consumption consistent with a healthy diet for children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 years. The More
January 2025
Opportunities in Programs and Policies to Address the Underlying Drivers of Sugary Drink and Water Consumption in the Washington, DC, Metro Area: A Qualitative Community-Based System Dynamics Approach
The objectives of this study were to develop a shared understanding among multiple stakeholders about the structural and underlying, interconnected drivers of SSB and water consumption in the Washington, DC, metro area and to have them identify feasible and influential policy levers. A community-based system dynamics approach was used during a 2-day group model building More
September 2024
Water Is K’é: Learning from the Navajo Community to Promote Early Child Health
Drinking water instead of sugary drinks is key to reducing health disparities. Since beverage habits are shaped by complex personal, community, and environmental factors, community input is critical to design any intervention promoting water. The research team worked with community partners to design a program to promote healthy beverage habits among young Navajo children. The More
September 2024
Online retail nudges to help parents with lower-income choose healthy beverages for their children: A randomized clinical trial
Nudges offer a promising tool to reduce sugary drink intake among children who are most at risk for diet-related disease. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of online store nudges on purchases of sugary drinks for children in lower-income households. Caregivers with lower-income were recruited to an online shopping experiment and More