Chew, Yuan YI, Maharajan, Mari Kannan, Gopinath, Divya, and Rajiah, Kingston (2025) Comparative effectiveness of health literacy intervention on reducing sugar or sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in Asian populations: A systematic review. Public Health, 244. 105750.

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Abstract

Objective This study evaluated the effectiveness of health literacy interventions aimed at reducing sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake among Asian populations and identified the common characteristics of effective interventions through a systematic review of randomised and non-randomised studies.

Study design Systematic review of randomised and non-randomised trials.

Methods A systematic search of five databases identified randomised and non-randomised studies on health literacy interventions aimed at reducing sugar and SSB intake among Asian populations. Screening followed predefined criteria, and data extraction captured the intervention type, delivery, duration, and outcomes. Quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias-2 and ROBINS-I tools for bias, and the findings were synthesised to identify effective intervention traits and research gaps.

Results Of the eight included studies, three were face-to-face educational, one behavioural, one online, one mobile text messaging, and two front-of-pack (FOP) labelling interventions. Six out of eight studies measured sugar intake, with four assessing SSB intake. Seven studies reported significant dietary improvements. Overall, bias risk was present, with three rated high. Significant inconsistencies in the two studies were further explored.

Conclusion The effectiveness of health literacy interventions in reducing sugar or sugar-sweetened beverage intake was positive, particularly for face-to-face interventions and FOP labels. Available evidence may inform policymaking for the implementation of health promotion for disease prevention and complement standards of care practices for disease management.

Item ID:	91054
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1476-5616
Copyright Information:	© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Royal Society for Public Health. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Date Deposited:	31 Mar 2026 23:10
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