Published: July 2024

ID #: 283-4136

Journal: J Acad Nutr Diet

Authors: Estradé M, Burgos-Gil R, Witting L, Rivera I, Gittelsohn J, Colón-Ramos U

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The study aimed to describe how Hispanic parents currently living in the greater Washington, DC, metro area and born outside of the United States, perceived upstream factors that influenced their current beverage choice. Six qualitative focus groups were conducted in Spanish in 2021. The five key findings were: Growing up (in their countries of origin in Central America and Mexico) participants were used to drinking water, often gathered it from the source, and liked its flavor. Relatives passed down their knowledge about potabilization of water, the health benefits of drinking water, and health consequences of drinking SSBs. Growing up, prepackaged SSBs were not as accessible compared with where they now live in the United States. Participants perceived that sociocultural hospitality norms dictated that guests should be served SSBs and not water. Participants noted that messages regarding juice and water across US public health programs and policies were not aligned. These findings suggest there are opportunities for public health messaging and procurement of safe, palatable drinking water in lieu of SSBs and juice.

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