TABLE 3.

Characteristics of studies included in meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in children

Reference	Study population and location	Sample size	Mean age	Baseline BMI	Duration	Design	Study question	Intervention	Control
James, 2004 (61)	The Christchurch Obesity Prevention Project in Schools (CHOPPS), UK	644; 29 clusters	Intervention: 8.7 yControl: 8.7 y girls, 8.6 y boys	Intervention: BMI (in kg/m2) of 17.4Control: BMI of 17.6	One school year	Parallel-cluster randomized intervention	School-based education program aimed at reducing SSBs1 and weight	Focused educational program on nutrition to discourage consumption of SSBs	Not specified
Ebbeling 2006 (63)	Beverages and Student Health, Massachusetts, USA	103	Intervention: 16.0 yControl: 15.8 y	Intervention: BMI of 25.7Control: BMI of 24.9	25 wk	Parallel, randomized intervention	Replacement of SSBs with noncaloric beverage on weight	Four 12-oz servings of noncaloric beverages/d, provided by weekly home deliveries, motivational phone calls, mailed fridge magnets with intervention messages	Asked to continue their usual beverage consumption habits
Sichieri, 2008 (62)	Schoolchildren, Brazil	1140; 47 clusters	Intervention: 10.9 yControl: 10.9 y	Intervention: BMI of 18.3Control: BMI of 18.2	One school year	Parallel-cluster randomized controlled intervention	School-based education program aimed at reducing SSBs and weight	Focused nutrition education with emphasis on decreasing SSBs and increasing water intake	Control clusters received 2 general information sessions about health and given material about healthy diets
de Ruyter, 2012 (65)	Double-blind, Randomized Intervention Study in Kids (DRINK), Netherlands	641	Intervention: 8.2 yControl: 8.2 y	Intervention: BMI of 16.9Control: BMI of 16.8	18 mo	Parallel, double- blind, randomized intervention	Replacement of SSBs with noncaloric beverage on weight	One 8-oz can of artificially sweetened beverage/d (0 calories, 35 mg sucralose, 12 mg acesulfame potassium) provided at school	One 8-oz can of SSB/d (104 kcal, 26 g sucrose) provided at school
Ebbeling, 2012 (64)	Overweight adolescents, Massachusetts, USA	244	Intervention: 15.3 yControl: 15.2 y	Intervention: BMI of 30.4Control: BMI of 30.1	1 y	Parallel, randomized intervention	Replacement of SSBs with noncaloric beverage on weight	Home deliveries of noncaloric beverages, motivational phone calls, check-in visits, mailed written intervention messages	Supermarket gift cards as a retention strategy

¹SSB, sugar-sweetened beverage.