Sugary drink consumption in the U.S. has increased over the past 30 years for children and adults. Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages has been linked to poor diet, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other health risks.
Boulder County Public Health is working to reduce consumption of sugar sweetened beverages.
Strategies for Reducing Sugary Drink Consumption
- Support positive community norms for healthy beverage consumption through effective and consistent messaging.
- Promote the 5-2-1-0 message in schools, early childhood centers, workplaces, and the health care settings
- Promote water and unsweetened beverage consumption at family events, facilities, and government properties
- Educate the community on the harmful effects of sugar-sweetened beverages
- Promote healthy beverage consumption through policy and environmental change in systems and organizations that impact young children and their families.
- Implement healthy meeting guidelines within workplaces, with recommendations to eliminate sugary drink purchases with company or organizational funds
- Reduce or eliminate sugary drinks from vending and concession stands within schools, government buildings, recreation facilities, and other entities that serve young children and their families
- Support policies within organizations and municipalities that create healthy beverage environments, e.g. ban the marketing of sugary drinks on government property, do not use government funds to pay for sugary drinks at meetings and events.
