Oral Presentation ANZOS-ASLM-ICCR 2019

Reducing sugary drink consumption intentions: understanding the barriers to change (#84)

Joanne Dono 1 2 , Kerry Ettridge 1 2 , Melanie Wakefield 3 , Simone Pettigrew 4 , John Coveney 5 , Gary Wittert 1 , Sarah Durkin 3 , David Roder 6 , Jane Martin 7 , Caroline Miller 2 8
  1. University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  2. Health Policy Centre, SAHMRI, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  3. CBRC, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  4. Curtin University, Perth , WA, Australia
  5. Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  6. University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
  7. Obesity Policy Coalition, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
  8. School of Population Health, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Background: Sugary drinks contribute excess added sugars to the diet which can lead to obesity, a known risk factor for cancer. Australians are high consumers of sugary drinks so interventions to reduce population-level consumption would produce public health benefits. The Integrative Model of Behavioural Prediction provides a framework for exploring the relationship between intention to reduce sugary drink consumption and environmental, social and individual factors. Understanding these relationships contributes to the development of effective sugary drink interventions.

Aim: To examine predictors of intentions to reduce sugary drink consumption using the Integrative Model of Behavioural Prediction.

Methods: Australian adults aged 18 years and over were surveyed using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews between February and April 2017. Random digit dialling of landline and mobile phones was used to obtain a nationally representative sample of 3430. A subsample of 1630 sugary drink consumers answered a subset of questions relating to attitudes, beliefs and behaviour change.

Results: Preliminary results show that 56% of participants intended to reduce their sugary drink consumption in the next six months (50% planned on drinking less in the next month) whereas 31% of participants had no intention of drinking fewer sugary drinks. Intention to reduce sugary drink consumption was more likely among those who believed they currently consumed too much (versus not too much), those who believed that their current and future health was at risk from drinking sugary drinks (versus not holding these beliefs), and those who agreed that sugary drink consumption was normative (versus not normative; all p<0.001).

Conclusions: Intention to drink fewer sugary drinks was more likely among those who perceived themselves to be susceptible to health consequences of over-consumption than those who did not. Interventions aimed at de-normalising consumption practices and increasing knowledge about the health risks associated with sugary drink consumption are warranted.