Reducing Added Sugar Intake in BlackAfrican American and Latine Adolescents with Obesity by Replacing Sugary Sodas with Unsweetened or Reduced-Sugar Beverages

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating whether replacing sugary sodas with unsweetened, flavored sparkling waters, progressively sugar-reduced sodas, or plain water can reduce added sugar intake and improve health in BlackAfrican American and Latine adolescents with obesity who prefer sweet-tasting beverages. The study focuses on adolescents aged 12 to 18 who have a strong liking for sweet beverages and consume sugary sodas regularly. The trial aims to understand if changing beverage preferences leads to better diet quality and cardiometabolic health. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups replacing sugary sodas with flavored unsweetened sparkling water, replacing sodas with beverages that gradually reduce sugar content over four weeks ending with unsweetened sparkling water, or replacing sodas with plain still water as a control. The intervention lasts for four weeks, during which participants will replace all sugary sodas with their assigned study beverages. During the 8-week study period, participants will complete taste tests at baseline, week 2, week 4, and week 8 to assess their liking and perception of sweetness. Dietary recalls, body measurements including height, weight, and waist circumference, blood pressure readings, and blood samples measuring fasting glucose, insulin, and triglycerides will be collected at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Researchers will monitor compliance with beverage consumption and evaluate changes in sugar liking, diet quality, and cardiometabolic markers, including serum triglycerides and insulin resistance.

A Sensory Strategy to Cut Sugary Beverages in African/American and Latine Adolescents