Challenges in a Preteen Sugar Reduction Intervention

• In Event: 1-204 - Reading Labels and Setting Tables: Examining Children’s Eating and Food-Related Parenting from an Ecological Perspective

Integrative Statement

Sugar sweetened beverage consumption is a strong contributor to childhood obesity (SSB; Tipton, 2014). The current study used the ‘Sugar Busters Workshop’ to reduce SSB consumption among 7th graders. ‘Sugar Busters’ was designed to reduce the sugar consumption of college students through education (Taylor et al., 2015). The workshop was modified for use in a preteen sample. It was hypothesized that 1) participants would reduce sugar intake in the days following the intervention and that 2) participants would show change on SSB-based Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) variables. Despite its success with college students and some success with TPB change in the preteens, 7th graders did not show SSB change post intervention.

Participants were 72 seventh grade students (68% White; 57% male; Mean BMI = 20.04 (3.38)). Four classrooms were used as either control or experimental conditions in either the 3-day or 7-day pre-post design (4 groups each assessed twice). During pre and post sessions, participants reported their sugar intake over the past 24 hours and completed an SSB-based Theory of Planned Behavior (Reibl, et al., 2016).

The modified workshop included simplified health information and more hands-on activities. In one activity, participants filled test tubes with the amount of sugar they believed to be in deceptively sugary foods (e.g., canned peaches, sports drinks, ketchup) and were then shown the correct amount. In another activity, participants made ‘swaportunities’ in which they identified a high-sugar food they consumed regularly and then chose a lower-sugar alternative. Lastly, participants tasted and reviewed a zero-sugar drink (vitamin water) and a low-sugar snack (wheat thins) to demonstrate alternative options. The control groups participated in an anti-bullying workshop on day 1 and received a condensed sugar workshop after their day 2 follow-up assessments.

Paired samples t-tests demonstrated that neither experimental group lowered their SSB consumption (3-day experimental t(20) = .20, p = .841; 7-day experimental t(13) = 2.01, p = .065). Intriguingly, the 3-day control group did significantly lower their SSB consumption (3-day control t(18) = 3.93, p = .001; Figure 1). Pearson’s Correlations revealed that TPB was not related to sugar consumption at time 1 nor was the time 2 TPB related to time 2 sugar consumption for the experimental groups (all ps > .05). TPB itself did show minor shifts among groups, markedly the rise in social norm for SSB lowering for the 3-day experimental condition t(20) = 2.45, p = .024.

This study demonstrates the difficulties in child interventions. Participants understood the information and engaged fully with each aspect of the workshop, but did not lower SSB intake. Participants in the 3-day experimental group showed social norm change in a healthy direction, but this was not enough to change health behaviors. The workshop was effective for college participants, but was not effective when implemented with preteens. The researchers interpret the null findings as a result of the participants simply not investing in their health at this young age. Different strategies must be created to encourage children to invest in their health.

Authors

• Michayla Stallings, The University of Findlay
  Presenting Author

• Jack Burg, The University of Findlay
  Non-Presenting Author

• Emma Studer, The University of Findlay
  Non-Presenting Author

• Madison Schloemer, The University of Findlay
  Non-Presenting Author

• Emma Monnin, The University of Findlay
  Non-Presenting Author

• Julia Snell, The University of Findlay
  Non-Presenting Author

• Allison Kiefner-Burmeister, The University of Findlay
  Non-Presenting Author