Healthier Hydration: A Program to Cut Back on Soda

1. Program Overview

The proposed health promotion program aims to decrease the intake of soft drink among children
and adolescents aged 10-16 years. The program will use a combination of health education, a
social marketing campaign, and community engagement activities to address both upstream and
downstream determinants. The aim is to encourage healthier drink options and lower the rates of
obesity and associated health problems among this group.

2. Rationale

Soft drinks are connected to health problems like dental issues, heart problems, diabetes, and
obesity. By addressing this at a population level, we can improve public health, reduce healthcare
costs, and enhance quality of life. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion emphasizes creating
supportive environments and empowering individuals and communities to take control of their
health. This program follows these principles, targeting both individual behaviors and broader
environmental factors.

3. Upstream Determinants

a. Policy and Environment

I. Issue: The widespread availability and marketing of soft drinks contribute to their high
consumption rates, especially among children.

II. Intervention: Propose regulations to limit soft drink sales in schools and curb advertising
aimed at children.

III. Action Plan:

- Collaborate with local and national policymakers to implement regulations that ban the sale of
soft drinks in school cafeterias and vending machines. For instance, Mexico has implemented a
soda tax which led to a reduction in the purchase of taxed sugary beverages, demonstrating the
potential effectiveness of such policies.

- Partner with advertising authorities to reduce children’s exposure to soda ads, especially during
their favorite TV shows and online. For an example, the UK's rules, which stopped ads for
unhealthy foods during children's programs, leading to fewer children seeing them.

- Encourage rules that require soda labels to clearly show how much sugar they contain. Using a
system like the UK's "traffic light" labels can help people see quickly if a drink has a lot of sugar.
This way, consumers can make smarter choices about what they drink.

b. Socioeconomic Factors

I. Issue: Socioeconomic status affects access to healthier beverage options, with lower-income
families more likely to consume cheaper, sugary drinks.

II. Intervention: Increase access to affordable, healthier beverage alternatives in communities.

III. Action Plan:

- Work together with neighborhood grocery stores and supermarkets to provide discounts on
healthier drink options like water, milk, and natural fruit juices. A great model for this is the
"Healthy Food Financing Initiative" in the United States, which helped make healthy foods more
available in areas that didn't have many options by giving financial help to grocery stores.

- Start programs that give discounts or vouchers to families with less money so they can buy
healthier drinks. Like New York City does with Health Bucks, where they give coupons for
farmers' markets to people who need them, so they can buy fresh fruits and veggies. We can do
something like that to help families pick better drinks.

-Install water refill stations in places like parks, community centers, and schools to make it easier
for people to drink water. Schools in the US that put in water machines saw students drinking
more water and buying fewer sugary drinks.

4. Downstream Determinants

a. Individual Behaviors
I. Issue: Children and adolescents often choose soft drinks due to their taste, convenience, and
lack of awareness about healthier options.

II. Intervention: Start a school campaign to teach about the risks of drinking too much soda and
to encourage picking healthier options.

III. Action Plan:

- Create a school curriculum that teaches students about nutrition, why it's good to cut down on
sugar, and the dangers of drinking too many soft drinks. For instance, programs like "Healthy
Eating and Physical Activity" (HEPA) in after-school activities have helped children eat better.

- Plan fun events like "Healthy Beverage Days" where students can try out different drinks and
learn how to make them. Programs like New York City's "Taste Buds" have already shown that
activities like taste tests and cooking demos can help children choose healthier foods.

- Use posters, brochures, and online content to remind people about why it's important to avoid
too many soft drinks. These materials should talk about the health problems that come from
drinking too much soda and give tips on picking healthier drinks.

b. Parental Influence

I. Issue: Parents are important in deciding what their children eat and drink.

II. intervention: Provide resources and support to parents to help them encourage healthier
beverage choices at home.

III. Action Plan:

- Hold workshops and meetings for parents to talk about why it's good to cut back on soft drinks
and how to help their families pick better options. Programs like "Cooking Matters" in the US
teach parents cooking and nutrition skills, so they can make healthier choices for their families.

- Create a "Healthy Beverage Guide" for families, with tips, recipes, and ideas for cutting back
on soft drinks. This guide can be inspired by successful campaigns like the "5-2-1-0" program,
which gives parents easy tips for helping their children live healthier.
- Make a website where parents can find helpful resources, share stories, and get advice from
nutrition experts. On this site, they can join discussions, ask questions to experts, and use tools
like meal planners and drink calculators to make healthier choices for their families.

5. Social Marketing Campaign

Objective: This program aims to help families understand the health problems caused by
drinking too many soft drinks and encourage them to pick healthier drinks for their children.

I. Target Audience: Children aged 10-16 years and their parents.

II. Strategies:

- Make fun posts for social media, like videos, pictures with info, and stories from families who
have cut back on soft drinks. Other campaigns, like California's "Rethink Your Drink," have used
social media well to help people see sugary drinks differently.

- Work with local celebrities, athletes, and popular people to support the campaign and share
their stories of choosing healthier drinks. Celebrities like Beyoncé and NBA star Stephen Curry
have joined health campaigns before, showing how powerful it can be to have famous people on
board.

- Create eye-catching posters, flyers, and banners to put up in schools, community centers, and
health clinics. These should show how bad soft drinks can be for your health and encourage
people to drink water and other healthy options instead.

- Use local radio and TV ads to share the campaign's main points and talk about community
events. This could include public service ads and educational parts on local news shows.

6. Program Evaluation

Evaluation Plan:

- Process Evaluation: Keep an eye on how the program is going by counting how many
educational sessions happen, seeing how many people join in, and listening to what they say
about it. This helps make sure everything goes as planned and lets us know if there are things we
can do better.
- Outcome Evaluation: Check if children and teens are drinking less soda by asking them
questions before and after the program. Also, gather info on health stuff like weight, dental
health, and how many children are dealing with obesity-related issues. This helps us see if the
program is working and figure out if we need to change anything for next time.

References

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3. Hu, F. B., & Malik, V. S. (2010). Sugar-sweetened beverages and risk of obesity and type 2
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5. Vartanian, L. R., Schwartz, M. B., & Brownell, K. D. (2007). Effects of soft drink
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6. Pietka, M. J., & Korab, H. E. (2024, April 2). Soft drink. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/soft-drink