Use of a Water Filter at Home Reduces Sugary Drink Consumption among Parents and Infants/Toddlers in a Predominantly Hispanic Community: Results from the Water Up!@ Home Intervention Trial

Water is recommended as an alternative for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Low-income, minority groups in the United States continue to exhibit high SSB and low water consumption, and are more likely to exceed 100% fruit juice recommendations. To test the effects of a home-based intervention designed to replace SSBs with tap water and reduce excess juice consumption among parents and their infants/toddlers. Randomized controlled trial. Parents (n = 92) of infants/toddlers who participated in three Early Head Start home-visiting programs that serve predominantly Hispanic, low-income communities during 2019-2021. The 12-week intervention (Water Up!@Home) simultaneously addressed physical barriers to tap water consumption (via a water filter) and sociocultural barriers to replacing SSBs and juice with water (via a curriculum). Comparison group received a water filter only. We hypothesized that the intervention would lead to a reduction of 6 fl oz/d in SSB and juice consumption. Parent-reported self and infant/toddler SSBs, water (filtered, tap, or bottled), and 100% fruit juice consumption. Analysis of covariance to compare changes in consumption between experimental groups was performed. We also conducted t tests to assess changes within groups. Participants in both groups reported significant reductions in SSBs from baseline (parents: intervention [–11.2 fl oz/d; P < 0.01]; comparison [–8.0 fl oz/d; P < 0.01]; children: intervention [–1.50 fl oz/d; P = 0.03]; comparison [–1.56 fl oz/d; P = 0.02]), increased water consumption (parents in both groups [+5.6 fl oz/d]; children: intervention [+3.61 fl oz/d; P = 0.01], comparison [+2.24 fl oz/d; P = 0.05]), mostly from filtered tap water. Differences between groups were not statistically significant. Intervention participants reported significant reductions in 100% fruit juice vs comparison (parents: –3.6 fl oz/d vs –1.0 fl oz/d; P < 0.01; children: –0.73 fl oz/d vs +0.48 fl oz/d; P = .03). The intervention effectively reduced 100% fruit juice consumption. Water security should be examined as a contributor to SSB consumption in this population.