Does bottle size affect the amount of cola consumed at home?

Sub-diving a fixed amount of a sugar-sweetened beverage in smaller vs larger bottles could help curb their consumption but so far, no studies have tested this possibility.

In our study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, we assessed the feasibility of running a trial on the impact of bottle size on in-home consumption of cola, in which households would receive a set amount of cola each week for four weeks, in bottles of one of four sizes (1500 ml, 1000 ml, 500 ml, or 250 ml).

We ran the study with 16 households and found the procedures to be both feasible and acceptable. We identified issues, however, associated with the study design, which are likely to impact on the validity of the primary outcome, i.e. consumption level. These include consumption driven by study-determined supply and a failure to capture out-of-home consumption. Methods to avoid these would be needed before conducting a definitive trial.

Impact of bottle size on in-home consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages: a feasibility and acceptability study. Mantzari E, Hollands G, Pechey R, Jebb S, Marteau T.

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