Celebrating International Youth Day and World Breastfeeding Week

This month's highlight, Beyond the Beverage, reviews the evidence on cutting kids' sugary drink intake: labelling and pricing strategies show real promise, while popular fixes like healthier vending machines don't hold up under scrutiny. We also cover what breastfeeding for six months or longer means for infant and gestational-parental health outcomes.

For practitioners: check out our handout Healthy Habits for Teens: 5 Steps to Eating Well and Staying Active (ages 12–18), and free access this month to our practice question on parents' and caregivers' role in supporting children and adolescents with overweight and obesity.

Also new: a refreshed PEN^® System, built on member feedback, with a more intuitive interface, streamlined Knowledge Pathways, and easier navigation — see our short walkthrough video.

Thanks for being part of the PEN community.

Warmly,
The PEN Team

Beyond the Beverage: What Really Helps Kids Drink Less Sugary Drinks?

Colourful Sugar Sweetened Beverages with white straws

From warning labels and pricing strategies to healthier choices at home and in stores, discover which interventions can help reduce children’s intake of sugar-sweetened beverages—and which approaches still lack convincing evidence.

The Question

What interventions can help reduce children’s energy consumption from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)?

Key Practice Point #1: Behavioural Interventions

Recommendation

There is no clear evidence that behavioural interventions to decrease sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption are effective. High heterogeneity between interventions makes it difficult to draw conclusions regarding interventions to decrease SSB intake in children and adolescents.

Grade of Evidence: C

*Grade C - The conclusion is supported by limited evidence or expert opinion

Remarks

See Additional Content

What are the short- and long-term physical and mental health effects of high added sugar consumption in children and adolescents (≤18 years old)?

What is the evidence that the implementation of school nutrition policies/guidelines and interventions improves the nutritional intake and behaviours of elementary school and high school aged-children?

What is the effectiveness of behavioural interventions for the treatment of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents?

Key Practice Point #2: Environmental Interventions

Recommendation

The following environmental interventions are likely to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake in children:

labelling interventions such as health warnings, nutrient warnings and traffic light interventions
increasing the price of SSBs
promoting healthier items in grocery stores
government programs restricting SSB purchases while incentivizing fruit and vegetable purchases
increasing availability of low calorie beverages at home
multicomponent community campaigns.

To read more about interventions that require more evidence and those that are not endorsed, read the full practice question.

Grade of Evidence: B and C

*Grade B - The conclusion is supported by fair evidence.

*Grade C - The conclusion is supported by limited evidence or expert opinion

Read the full practice question (3 min read) →.

Does Breastfeeding Longer Make a Difference? What the Evidence Says

Does breastfeeding for six months or longer offer added health benefits? Explore what the evidence tells us about breastfeeding duration and outcomes for infants and lactating individuals—including respiratory infections, ear infections, iron losses and hypertension.

The Question

What are the infant and gestational-parental health outcomes associated with breastfeeding for six to 12 months or more compared to outcomes of infants and gestational parents who stop breastfeeding before six months?

Recommendation

Data from observational studies suggests that exclusive breastfeeding for six months (compared to <4 months) may be associated with lower rates of respiratory tract infection and severe diarrhea in infants.

Grade of Evidence: C

Observational data also suggests that longer term breastfeeding duration ≥6 months compared to <6 months (regardless of exclusivity) is associated with a decreased risk for developing acute ear infections in infants.

Grade of Evidence: C

For lactating individuals, longer term breastfeeding duration (exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding to any extent for 12 months or more) is associated with reduced maternal iron losses (Grade of Evidence B) and decreased risk of maternal hypertension (Grade of Evidence C).

*Grade B - The conclusion is supported by fair evidence.

*Grade C - The conclusion is supported by limited evidence or expert opinion

Remarks

See Additional Content:

What are the benefits of breastfeeding on cancer prevention for the lactating individual and infant?

What are the recommendations for postpartum weight loss for lactating individuals?

Are there significant differences in the growth patterns of infants, birth to one year of age, who consume human milk versus formula?

International Infant and Child (Breast, Formula and Complementary Feeding) Guidelines Collection

Read the full practice question (3 min read) →.

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Celebrating International Youth Day and World Breastfeeding Week - August 2026