Amsterdam teenagers: 'Choice of soft drink is made by environment'

The study by food scientist Rian Pepping (Vrije Universiteit, GGD Amsterdam) and others was conducted among young people in Amsterdam, and published in BMC Public Health. It shows how social norms, marketing and the high availability and low price of soft drinks lead to excessive consumption.

For many young people, drinking soft drinks is very normal. It is cheap, easily available and everywhere: at home, at school, during sports and in the supermarket. In addition, advertising plays a major role: young people are constantly exposed to tempting images and messages that make soft drinks attractive. At the same time, young people are aware of the adverse effects, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Healthy alternatives
However, soft drinks remain the easy choice, because healthy alternatives are often considered boring or unattractive. The things teenagers have learned about healthy eating at a young age is later overshadowed by an environment that actually encourages unhealthy choices. According to the young people in the study, a sharp increase in prices, for example through a sugar tax, could effectively help reduce their soft drink consumption. In addition, they argue for cheaper and more attractive healthy alternatives.

"The RIVM calculated that by 2050, two thirds of Dutch people will be overweight, with major public health consequences," Pepping says. "This study highlights that the problem does not only stem from the choices made by young people themselves, but more importantly from the choices we make as a society. If we really want to bring about change, we must actively make young people's environment healthier and protect them from the overwhelming and often misleading influence of marketing."

Children's marketing
The food industry markets products that aim to give young people a sense of belonging, joy and a certain lifestyle. This is evident from advertising slogans such as 'Fanta, welcome to the fun'. The study illustrates the need to curb the marketing of unhealthy products to children, as often advocated by the World Health Organisation and UNICEF. The researchers argue that age limits should also be raised to better protect teenagers and young children during their vulnerable developmental stages.

Approach
"The findings highlight the urgency of a broader, national approach to greatly reduce the consumption of sugary drinks among young people," says Diena Halbertsma on behalf of cooperation partner Gezonde Generatie (Healthy Generation). "Together with GGD Amsterdam, we advocate a combination of measures, such as a legal ban on child marketing for unhealthy food, higher taxes on sugary drinks such as a smart sugar tax and creating a healthier food environment at schools and in the neighbourhoods where young people grow up."