261992 Free drinking water access and barriers to improving water access and intake in California schools

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 10:40 AM - 10:51 AM

Anisha Patel, MD, MSPH , Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Kenneth Hecht, LLB , California Food Policy Advocates, Oakland, CA
Karla Hampton, JD , National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Childhood Obesity, Public Health Law & Policy, Oakland, CA
Jacob Grumbach, BA , Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Kumar Chandran, MS, MPH , Share our Strength, Washington, DC
Ellen Braff-Guajardo, JD, MEd , California Food Policy Advocates, Oakland, CA
Claire Brindis, DrPH , Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Introduction: Drinking water can help prevent obesity and dental caries. Because children spend substantial time in school, ensuring that free drinking water is available in such settings is of public health importance.

Methods: We interviewed administrators from 240 randomly sampled California public schools. We estimated proportions of schools with free water access by type (e.g., fountains) and location (e.g., gym). We used logistic regression to determine if socio-demographic characteristics were associated with 1) the number of access locations, 2) fountain:student ratio, 3) schools having more than one non-fountain source (e.g., dispensers).

Results: 95% of schools reported free water access in common areas, 82% in gyms, 80% in outdoor exercise areas, 75% in food service areas (FSAs), 63% in classrooms. 20% of schools had water available in all five locations. The mean fountain:student ratio was 1:25. 20% of schools had a non-fountain source of free water. In multivariable analysis, middle/junior high (OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.10-0.69) and high schools (OR: 0.03, 95% CI: 0.001-0.13) had a lower odds of having a higher fountain:student ratio (>1:25). Rural schools had higher odds of offering water from a non-fountain source than city schools (OR:4.42, 95% CI: 1.43-12.46). Common barriers to access/intake included cost, environmental concerns, more pressing educational issues, and administrator unfamiliarity with water regulations.

Discussion: This is the first large study to examine drinking water access in schools. To ensure that students drink water at school, support is needed, particularly for urban and secondary schools, to provide water that is appealing to students.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Chronic disease management and prevention
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe common sources of free drinking water in schools, including sociodemographic factors associated with water access. 2. Discuss administrators’ perceived barriers to improving drinking water access and intake in schools.

Keywords: School Health, Nutrition

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the author of a number of papers published in peer-reviewed journals regarding healthy beverage consumption in schools and child care centers.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4111.0: You Can Lead the Students to Water, but . . . the Current State of Drinking Water Availability and Intake in School and Child Care Settings