Can environmental interventions reduce the consumption of sugar sweetened drinks? A new Cochrane review.

Sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSBs) have become part of most people's everyday lives. They are cold and hot drinks containing added sugar. Typical SSBs are non‐diet soft drinks, regular soda, iced tea, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit punches, sweetened waters, and sweetened tea and coffee.

Source: Unsplash

Environmental interventions to reduce the consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages and their effects on health. Cochrane Systematic Review - Intervention Version published: 12 June 2019

Peter von Philipsborn,Jan M Stratil,Jacob Burns,Laura K Busert,Lisa M Pfadenhauer,Stephanie Polus, Christina Halzapel, Hans Hauner and Eva Rehfuess.

The authors of this review wanted to find out whether the measures taken so far have made a difference to the amount of SSBs people consume, and whether it's led to an improvement their health. They focused on measures that change the environment in which people make drink choices. They did not look at studies on educational programs or on SSBs taxes, as these are examined in separate reviews. They did however, look at the increased prices of SSBs that were not due to taxes.

The review shows that actions which change the environment in which people make beverage choices can help people drink less SSB. Based on the findings it is suggested that such measures may be used more widely. Government officials, business community members and health professionals implementing such measures should work together with researchers to find out more about their effects in the short and long term.

Read more here.