Children and adolescents drinks consumption
- Project start date: 1 October 2008
- Project status: Completed
- Discipline: Food marketing
- Principal researcher/s: Millward Brown, Dublin
- Collaborator/s: Single supplier
Research objective
To identify consumer knowledge and practice in relation to drinks for children and young people, aged two to 18 years.
Outputs
Research report
- Title: Consumer knowledge and practice in relation to drinks for children and young people
- Publication date: 6 August 2009
- Summary: Parents and teenagers had a good idea of which drinks were healthier than others, but most did not count drinks as part of their daily food consumption. Calories from drinks are therefore invisible to them.
- Findings:
- Parents and teenagers had a good idea of which drinks were healthier than others, but most did not count drinks as part of their daily food consumption.
- The main concerns around drinks were sugar content and in particular, ‘hidden sugars’, E numbers, and then fat and caffeine content
- Schools, doctors and dentists were seen as key informants and influencers when it came to nutrition information. Many parents reported learning about healthy eating from their children.
- Younger children were said to be influenced both by what their parents purchase and school policies, teenagers were influenced by other factors when choosing their drinks, including cost, advertising and image.
- Parents perceived the increased variety of drinks in the marketplace as a negative, as it causes confusion as to what is ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’.
- Parents also said they find it difficult to access information on the content of drinks and believe that juices and juice drinks are mainly healthy. Many called for clearer and easier to understand information to be provided on pack.
- Recommendations:
- Flavoured milks are good alternative sources of calcium for those who do not drink milk, but they should be reserved for mealtimes because they contain added sugar.
- Fruit juice is a good choice. However, choose 100% pure fruit juices that are unsweetened.
- Juices only count as one portion of your 5-a-day fruit and vegetables requirements
- 100% pure fruit juices made ‘from concentrate’ count equally towards your 5-a-day
- Fruit juices are acidic and can damage teeth, so they are better kept to mealtimes and consumed with a straw
- Dilute fruit juices for children
- Squashes and ‘juice/fruit drinks’ often contain very little juice and quite a lot of sugar. Sugar-free squashes are a healthier alternative
- Fizzy drinks contain a lot of sugar and are also acidic, so they can be very harmful to teeth. Ideally, they should be drunk with a straw and with meals. ‘Sugar-free’ or ‘diet’ varieties contain less sugar but are still acidic.
- Stimulant drinks usually contain a lot of sugar and caffeine. These drinks are not suitable as thirst quenchers and should not be drunk with alcohol or medication. Children under 16 or pregnant women shouldn’t drink energy drinks.
- Sports drinks can be helpful to those who are doing intensive sport, but because of their high sugar content they shouldn’t be drunk every day, or outside of sporting activities
- When choosing hot drinks, choose low fat/skimmed milk and choose regular size options rather than larger ones
- Consumers should read the labels on drinks and compare brands for their fat and sugar content
- Parents should make healthier choices when shopping - if you limit what’s available, then it is easier for younger children to make healthier choices
- Don’t be afraid to make changes at home. Parents who simply stop buying unhealthy drinks say it works, despite some initial resistance
- Make healthy drinks fun – use straws, brightly coloured bottles and different types of glasses to encourage younger children to consume milk and water
- Teenagers will be more interested in the short-term benefits of choosing healthy drinks, which will help them to make healthier choices
