Preventing Chronic Disease | Student-Reported School Drinking Fountain Availability by Youth Characteristics and State Plumbing Codes - CDC

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Preventing Chronic Disease | Student-Reported School Drinking Fountain Availability by Youth Characteristics and State Plumbing Codes - CDC

Student-Reported School Drinking Fountain Availability by Youth Characteristics and State Plumbing Codes

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• Abstract
• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Acknowledgments
• Author Information
• References
• Tables

Stephen J. Onufrak, PhD; Sohyun Park, PhD; Cara Wilking, JD

Suggested citation for this article: Onufrak SJ, Park S, Wilking C. Student-Reported School Drinking Fountain Availability by Youth Characteristics and State Plumbing Codes. Prev Chronic Dis 2014;11:130314. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.130314.

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Abstract

Introduction
Caloric intake among children could be reduced if sugar-sweetened beverages were replaced by plain water. School drinking water infrastructure is dictated in part by state plumbing codes, which generally require a minimum ratio of drinking fountains to students. Actual availability of drinking fountains in schools and how availability differs according to plumbing codes is unknown.

Methods
We abstracted state plumbing code data and used the 2010 YouthStyles survey data from 1,196 youth aged 9 through 18 years from 47 states. We assessed youth-reported school drinking fountain or dispenser availability and differences in availability according to state plumbing codes, sociodemographic characteristics, and area-level characteristics.

Results
Overall, 57.3% of youth reported that drinking fountains or dispensers in their schools were widely available, 40.1% reported there were only a few, and 2.6% reported that there were no working fountains. Reported fountain availability differed significantly (P < .01) by race/ethnicity, census region, the fountain to student ratio specified in plumbing codes, and whether plumbing codes allowed substitution of nonplumbed water sources for plumbed fountains. “Widely available” fountain access ranged from 45.7% in the West to 65.4% in the Midwest and was less common where state plumbing codes required 1 fountain per more than 100 students (45.4%) compared with 1 fountain per 100 students (60.1%) or 1 fountain per fewer than 100 students (57.6%).

Conclusion
Interventions designed to increase consumption of water may want to consider the role of plumbing codes in availability of school drinking fountains.

Author Information

Corresponding Author: Stephen J. Onufrak, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Obesity Prevention and Control Branch, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE, MS K-77, Atlanta, GA 30341. Telephone: 770-488-5551. E-mail: seo5@cdc.gov.

Author Affiliations: Sohyun Park, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; Cara Wilking, Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts.

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