This study aimed to examine whether promotion of water intake in the general population in and of itself reduces sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption independent from interventions that target SSBs. Seven electronic databases were systematically searched: PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CAB Direct, and Web of Science. The search hedge included concepts of drinking water, sweetened beverages, and clinical or controlled or longitudinal studies. We identified 5652 publications, chose 107 for full-text review and selected 17 for this review. Two authors independently extracted data using predefined data fields and rated study quality. Seven studies reported a decrease in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Among the eight studies that successfully increased water intake, five reported beneficial effects on SSB intake while three did not. Of the five positive studies, three were at serious or high risk of bias. Studies with decrease in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption tended to include a home-based or individually focused intervention. This review found little evidence that interventions aimed solely at increasing water consumption reduce sugar-sweetened beverage intake. Further research is needed to investigate whether interventions that combine water promotion and SSB reduction strategies could be synergistic for reducing SSB intake. SSB reduction approaches at this time should focus directly on SSBs.
Published: April 2020
Journal: Curr Dev Nutr
Authors: Moghadam SD, Krieger JW, Louden D
Age Groups: Adolescents (grades 9 to 12), Adults and Families, Young adolescents (grades 6 to 8)
Focus Area: Beverages
Resource Type: Journal Article
State: National
Keywords: Sugar-sweetened beverages, Water
Related Research
November 2023
Effects of a front-of-package disclosure on accuracy in assessing children’s drink ingredients: two randomised controlled experiments with US caregivers of young children
This study aimed to test the effects of a standardized front-of-package (FOP) disclosure statement (indicating added sugar, non-nutritive sweetener (NNS) and juice content) on accuracy in assessing ingredients and perceived healthfulness of children’s drinks. In two randomized controlled experiments, the same participants (six hundred and forty-eight U.S. caregivers of young children ages 1-5 years) viewed MoreSeptember 2023
Association Between Child Sugary Drink Consumption and Serum Lipid Levels in Electronic Health Records
Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and fruit juice (FJ) consumption may promote lipid abnormalities in childhood. We examined the association between SSB/FJ intake and lipid levels using electronic health record data for 2816 adolescents. Multivariable logistic regression models treated clinical cutpoints for abnormal lipid levels (triglycerides [TG], high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein [LDL], and total cholesterol) as MoreSeptember 2023