202343 Los Angeles middle school students' perceptions and consumption of drinking water in schools

Monday, November 9, 2009: 9:10 AM

Anisha I. Patel, MD, MSPH , Pediatrics, Health Services, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Laura M. Bogart, PhD , Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Kimberly Uyeda, MD, MPH , Student Medical Services, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles, CA
Marc Elliot, PhD , Health, RAND, Santa Monica, CA
David Klein, MS , Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Mark A. Schuster, MD, PhD , Dept. of Medicine, Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA
Background: Sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is linked to obesity, but studies suggest that provision of non-caloric beverages such as water can reduce SSB intake. Most schools offer drinking water at no-charge through drinking fountains and for purchase, but concerns regarding fountain water quality and safety and bottled water cost may discourage student consumption of water.

Purpose: To examine student perceptions and consumption of drinking water in school.

Significance: Results can inform policies and programs to encourage student water consumption.

Methodology: Students at two LA schools were surveyed about perceptions and consumption of water at school. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine associations between gender, age, National School Lunch Program (NSLP) eligibility, language(s) spoken at home, race/ethnicity, perceptions regarding tap and bottled water, and the primary outcome, student consumption of water at school yesterday.

Results: 876 students (55% female; 60% Latino, 29% Asian, 14% black, 8% white; 63% NSLP-eligible) completed the survey. 52% drank from fountains, 32% drank bottled water, and 22% did not drink any water at school. Students had negative perceptions of school drinking fountains: that fountains contained dirt/trash (79%), that water was warm (76%), or that water tasted bad (80%). In multivariate logistic regression, females (OR=2.23, 95% CI 1.57-3.18) and students who perceived school fountain water as unclean (OR=1.35, 95% CI 1.11-1.64) had greater odds of not drinking water at school yesterday.

Conclusions: To encourage student consumption of water, schools should provide safe, palatable water and develop educational messages to improve negative perceptions of fountains.

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss why drinking water provision in schools is important 2. Describe student perceptions and consumption of drinking water in schools 3. Identify predictors of water consumption in schools

Keywords: Adolescents, Water

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As a fellow in the RWJ Clinical Scholars Program, I have conducted qualitative and quantitative studies to explore the availability and consumption of water in schools. I have greatly benefitted from senior mentorship on this study and have sought feedback from my mentors in submitting this abstract.
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.

See more of: School-based Water-related Problems
See more of: School Health Education and Services