Start Date: February 2012

ID #: 69819

Principal Investigator: Harold Goldstein, DrPH

Co-Principal Investigator: Patricia Crawford, DrPH, RD

Organization: California Center for Public Health Advocacy

Funding Round: Rapid-Response Round 4

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With the link between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and childhood obesity well established, effective strategies to reduce consumption of these beverages among children are needed. The objective of this research is to determine whether the nutritional content of fortified beverages and fruit drinks warrants their inclusion or exclusion from public policies designed to reduce the marketing and availability of SSBs. The study aims to: 1) describe the risks and/or benefits that fortified beverages and fruit drinks pose to children’s health, especially among racial and ethnic minority youth; 2) describe the potential impact of fortified beverages and fruit drinks on childhood obesity; 3) analyze the validity of health and/or nutritional benefit claims made on package labeling; and 4) describe the potential of health claims to influence the support of youth, the general public, and policy-makers for including or excluding fortified beverages and fruit drinks in beverage policies.

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