University stakeholders largely unaware and unsupportive of university pouring rights contracts with companies supplying sugar-sweetened beverages

Abstract

Background: Pouring rights contracts are agreements in which beverage companies pay universities for exclusive marketing and rights to sell sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) in campus. This study explored university stakeholder’s awareness and opinions of university pouring rights contracts. Methods: Nine hundred fifteen university stakeholders self-reported their awareness and support of pouring rights contracts along with several possible determinants of support (age, gender, nutrition education, beliefs about SSBs, beverage intake). Results: About 64.2% of participants reported no awareness of pouring rights contracts whereas only 38% reported agreeing with university pouring rights contracts. Males, undergraduate students, and those who felt individuals are responsible for their SSB consumption were more likely to support pouring rights contracts. Conclusions: University stakeholders were largely unaware of and unsupportive of pouring rights contracts. Universities are encouraged to consider the health impacts and opinions of university stakeholders when deciding whether to enter into pouring rights contracts.

Keywords:

• mixed methods
• pouring rights
• sugar-sweetened beverages
• survey
• university

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all participants of this study.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of United State of America and received approval from the Human Subjects Institutional Review Board of University of Iowa.

Declaration of interest

The authors have nothing to declare.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are thankful to Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa for providing financial support to fund this study.