Situation
Epinion has conducted a study for the Centre for Childhood Health among 3,000 children and young people, which shows some worrying trends in children’s and young people’s drinking habits. For example, three out of four children drink more sugary drinks than recommended, and four out of ten are heavy consumers of sugary drinks. There is therefore a need for initiatives that promote water as the preferred drink among children and young people.
Complication
Although the problem is clear, there is limited knowledge about the reasons and motives behind children’s and young people’s drinking habits. It is also unclear which initiatives have the greatest impact on healthier drinking habits among children and young people, which makes it difficult to establish lasting habits that promote water consumption. Partnerskab for Vand has therefore asked Epinion to identify motives and opportunities among children, young people, parents and leaders in the settings where children spend time.
Recommendation
The study provides a number of proposals and recommendations for initiatives. These include increasing the availability of cold water at schools and in leisure settings, for example through water dispensers. There is also potential in developing clear, unambiguous recommendations for children’s drinking habits and in disseminating knowledge about drinks such as low-sugar products and energy drinks. The study forms the basis for the Partnership’s further work to develop and test various initiatives aimed at getting more children and young people to drink more water. Read the full study (in Danish) here.
