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| Ranking |
Evidence-Based Practice |
| Description |
In 2004, the Boston School Committee implemented the Boston Public Schools Snack and Beverage Policy in an effort to improve nutrition and reduce obesity among youth. The committee specifically targeted sugar-sweetened beverages, as calories from these drinks constitute, on average, 13% of the calorie intake of youth aged 12 to 19 years. The resolution required that schools adhere to the Massachusetts à la Carte Food and Beverage Standards to Promote a Healthier School Environment, guidelines published by Massachusetts Action for Healthy Kids. The Boston School Committee thus banned the sale of soft drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks that are not 100% fruit or vegetable juice. The committee additionally imposed limitations on the serving sizes of other beverages, requiring schools to serve beverages (other than water or milk) in portions smaller than 12 oz. |
| Goal / Mission |
To decrease consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in Boston public schools. |
| Results / Accomplishments |
To identify the impact of the Boston School Committee's restrictions on sugar-sweetened beverages, researchers performed a liner regression analysis on data from the 2004 and 2006 Boston Youth Surveys of students in grades 9 through 12 in Boston's public high schools. After controlling for sex, grade, race/ethnicity, and primary neighborhood of residence, researchers found a significant decrease (p<0.001) of -0.14 servings in daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages between 2004 and 2006. In contrast, the national consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages did not change significantly (p=0.41) between 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 among adolescents aged 15-19 years. |
| Categories |
Health / Exercise, Nutrition, & Weight
Health / Teen & Adolescent Health
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| Organization(s) |
Boston School Committee |
| Source |
CDC: Preventing Chronic Disease |
| Date of Publication |
Jul 2011 |
| Date of Implementation |
Sep 2004 |
| Geographic Type |
Urban |
| Location |
City: Boston |
| Primary Contact |
Angie L. Cradock, ScD
Department of Society, Human Development and Health
Harvard School of Public Health
677 Huntington Ave, 7th Floor
Boston, MA 02115
617-384-8933
acradock@hsph.harvard.edu
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| For more details |
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/jul/10_0149.htm
http://www.maclearinghouse.com/PDFs/Health&...
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| Target Audience |
Children, Teens |
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