A peer- and community-driven education program appears to be a successful vehicle to encourage high school students in Appalachia to reduce their intake of sugared drinks, according to a study in PRISM: A Journal of Regional Engagement (Spring 2012, Vol. 1:1).
Supported by funding from the Ohio State Center for Clinical and Translational Science, the study was built around a 30-day "challenge" that utilized academic-community partnerships to identify health needs and promote positive health through community-led interventions in Appalachia.
Through an integrated model that utilized surveys, focus groups, and community health advocates, study investigator Laureen Smith, PhD, RN, an assistant professor in the College of Nursing, noticed a recurring theme: There was a growing concern regarding teens' consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. From there, a pilot project was born. Dubbed "Sodabriety," the project challenged high school students to give up or significantly reduce their consumption of sugary drinks for 30 days.
Smith, along with co-investigator Mary Ellen Wewers, PhD, a professor and the associate dean for research in the College of Public Health, worked closely with the Pike Healthy Lifestyle Initiative, academic partners, and community residents and stakeholders to spearhead the project that would explore teenage consumption of sodas while determining the effectiveness of community-based intervention in both urban and rural Appalachia.
The 30-day challenge required a pretest/post-test design to enable the tracking of long-term impact. Along with a social marketing campaign, a commercial and a "kickoff kit," students were given surveys and asked to maintain a daily beverage log.
At the close of the challenge, students saw a significant reduction in their consumption of sugary beverages and an increase in their water consumption, the researchers reported.
