Warning labels help reduce sugary drink intake among college students

Placing warning labels on beverage dispensers might be enough to help college students cut back on sugary drinks, according to a new study. The study by the University of Michigan School of Public Health and University of California, Davis, found that labels helped reduce consumption by nearly 15%. "Warning labels may be effective tools for reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, particularly beverages such as sweetened teas, pink lemonade and chocolate milk for which the sugar content is not immediately obvious or well known,” said lead author Cindy Leung, U-M assistant professor of nutritional sciences. Co-author Julia Wolfson, U-M assistant professor of health management and policy and nutritional sciences, said that sugar-sweetened beverages remain ubiquitous in retail and cafeteria settings on college campuses. "As we explore avenues to promote healthy food and beverage choices, warning labels are a potential tool to reduce their consumption that should be tested in other populations and other settings,” she said. The researchers placed warning labels on beverage dispensers at a U-M cafeteria for one semester in 2019. The labels, based on previously proposed California legislation, were bright yellow with a large triangle and exclamation mark stating, "Warning: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay.