Regional survey supports national initiative for ‘water‐only’ schools in New Zealand

Objective : To support a national initiative to remove sugary drinks from schools and limit drinks to water or unflavoured milk (‘water‐only’). Methods : We emailed all 201 schools with primary school aged children in the Greater Wellington region with a survey on (1) current status of, (2) support needs for, and (3) barriers to or lessons learned from, a ‘water‐only’ school policy. Results : Only 78 (39%) of schools responded. Most supported ‘water‐only’: 22 (28%) had implemented a policy; 10 (13%) in process of doing so; 22 (28%) were considering it; and 12 (15%) were ‘water‐only’, but did not have a policy. Only 12 (15%) were not considering a ‘water‐only’ policy. The main barrier reported was lack of community and/or family support. Many schools did not see any barriers beyond the time needed for consultation. Monitoring and communication were identified as key to success. A quarter of schools requested public health nurse support for a ‘water‐only’ policy. Conclusions : The survey elicited a range of views on ‘water‐only’ policies for schools, but suggests that ‘water‐only’ may be an emerging norm for schools. Implications for public health : Our survey shows how local assessment can support a national initiative by providing a baseline, identifying schools that want support, and sharing lessons. Making schools ‘water‐only’ could be a first step in changing our children's environment to prevent obesity.