The Influence of Pediatric Resident Counseling on Limiting Sugar- Sweetened Drinks in Children Sule Doymaz, MD, and Daniel R. Neuspiel, MD, MPH Clinical Pediatrics Volume 48 Number 7 September 2009 777-779 © 2009 The Author(s) 10.1177/0009922809332685 http://clp.sagepub.com 777 and increased risk for the development of type 2 diabetes. 8 In more recent studies, the role of sugar- sweetened beverage consumption in adolescent obesity has been investigated, and it has been found that soft drinks currently constitute the leading source of added sugars in the diet. 9 In US children and adolescents, up to 15% of total calorie intake is attributable to sugar- sweetened beverages and fruit juices. 10 Primary care pediatricians may play a crucial role as the first line of responders in childhood obesity. The pediatrician can identify children at risk and implement intervention measures, including counseling, follow-up, and outcome determinations. In this study, we aimed to assess the effects of pediatric resident counseling on reducing sugar-sweetened drink consumption in childhood and adolescence. Methods This study was conducted as a quality improvement project by a pediatric resident and carried out at a pediatric continuity practice in a hospital outpatient department in New York City. Seventy participants between the ages of 2 and 20 years were included in the study. None of the participants had any ongoing medical problems and presented for routine well- child visits. The participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups: test or control. During the initial visit before the counseling, parents or guardians of the participants were asked whether they were willing to voluntarily join the study. All study participants were asked about the amount and the type of daily drink consumption, and these data were recorded. In the test group, predefined counseling points were relayed to both the parent and the child by a pediatric resident, O besity is considered to be one of the major health problems affecting all levels of soci- ety and is approaching modern-day epi- demic status. 1 Obesity is strongly associated with major health risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, asthma, arthritis, and poor health status. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has declared that childhood over- weight and associated comorbidities are significant health problems for the pediatric population, caus- ing important health and financial burdens to the society. The AAP indicated the need for pediatri- cians to assume a leadership role in the prevention, advocacy, and research fields in this important issue. 2 The relationship between the consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, childhood obesity, and associated health risks has been addressed by several investigators. 3-6 It has been demonstrated that for each additional serving of sugar-sweetened drinks, there are increases in both the body mass index (BMI) and odds ratios for frequency of obesity. 3 In a comparative Canadian study, obese children consuming significantly more sugar-sweetened drinks were found to have a higher BMI as a results of higher calorie intake. 7 Similarly, in older people, higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was found to be associated with a greater magnitude of weight gain From the Department of Pediatrics, Beth Israel Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York (SD), and the Department of Pediatrics, Levine Children’s Hospital, Charlotte, North Carolina (DRN). Address correspondence to: Daniel R. Neuspiel, Department of Pediatrics, Levine Children’s Hospital, 1350 S. Kings Dr., 2nd Floor, Charlotte, NC 28207; e-mail: Daniel.neuspiel@ carolinashealthcare.org.