Quenching the Kimberley with water: Promoting water over sugar sweetened beverages in two Aboriginal communities — Agentur Pty Ltd

Quenching the Kimberley with water: Promoting water over sugar sweetened beverages in two Aboriginal communities (54)

Rochelle Tobin 1 , Melissa Stoneham 1 , Helen Mitchell 2 , Jodie Hurd 2 , Asha Singh 2
  1. Public Health Advocacy Institute WA, Bentley, WA, Australia
  2. Diabetes WA, Perth

Background:
Aboriginal Australians experience high rates of dental caries, type 2 diabetes and overweight and obesity, much of which is related to high sugar consumption, particularly sugar sweetened beverages. Evidence shows that changes to store environments can encourage healthier choices. This project aims to reduce the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages in two Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley region of WA.

Methods:

This pilot project is a pre/post intervention. Strategies include the installation of water coolers in close proximity to the community store and changes to the store layout that favourably place and promote water over sugar sweetened beverages. The store turnover method is used to estimate beverage consumption for the five months pre and post intervention. In-store observations identify which groups within the community are purchasing sugar sweetened beverages.

Results/Discussions:

Project staff visited both communities to discuss the feasibility and acceptability of the project with key community members and to undertake an audit of the availability of sugar sweetened beverages and water within the communities. Initial findings indicate that within the communities, sugar sweetened beverages are readily available and access to free, chilled, potable water is limited. Preliminary in-store audit results show that sugar sweetened beverages are allocated the largest proportion of overall shelf space within both the stores.  

It is anticipated that the installation of water bubblers and changes to the store layout to promote water as opposed to sugar sweetened beverages will elicit healthier beverage purchasing behaviours. In-store observations of who is purchasing sugar sweetened beverages will provide useful information on priority groups within the community.

Conclusions/implications:

As the food environment plays an important role in influencing dietary choices, modifying environmental cues may result in healthier purchasing behaviour. This pilot project will discuss the challenges and successes associated with trialling new approaches to reducing diet related disease in Aboriginal communities.

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