Variation in access to sugar-sweetened beverages in vending machines across rural, town and urban high schools

• Published in: Public health (London) 2013-05, Vol.127 (5), p.485-491
• Main Authors: Adachi-Mejia, A.M, Longacre, M.R, Skatrud-Mickelson, M, Li, Z, Purvis, L.A, Titus, L.J, Beach, M.L, Dalton, M.A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Advertising; American people; Beverages - supply & distribution; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dietary Sucrose; Drinks; Food Dispensers, Automatic - statistics & numerical data; High schools; Humans; Infectious Disease; Internal Medicine; New Hampshire; Obesity policy; Rural communities; Rural Population; School nutrition; Schools - statistics & numerical data; Sugar-sweetened beverage; Sweetening Agents - supply & distribution; Urban Population; Vending machines; Vermont
• ISSN: 0033-3506; 1476-5616
• DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2013.01.024

Abstract Objectives The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Among the many possible routes of access for youth, school vending machines provide ready availability of sugar-sweetened beverages. The purpose of this study was to determine variation in high school student access to sugar-sweetened beverages through vending machines by geographic location – urban, town or rural – and to offer an approach for analysing school vending machine content. Study design Cross-sectional observational study. Methods Between October 2007 and May 2008, trained coders recorded beverage vending machine content and machine-front advertising in 113 machines across 26 schools in New Hampshire and Vermont, USA. Results Compared with town schools, urban schools were significantly less likely to offer sugar-sweetened beverages ( P  = 0.002). Rural schools also offered more sugar-sweetened beverages than urban schools, but this difference was not significant. Advertisements for sugar-sweetened beverages were highly prevalent in town schools. Conclusions High school students have ready access to sugar-sweetened beverages through their school vending machines. Town schools offer the highest risk of exposure; school vending machines located in towns offer up to twice as much access to sugar-sweetened beverages in both content and advertising compared with urban locations. Variation by geographic region suggests that healthier environments are possible and some schools can lead as inspirational role models.