Traffic light labels on school drink menus, combined with nutrition education, significantly reduced high-calorie and sugary beverage purchases among Indonesian high school students over two months. According to Gram Research analysis, students exposed to the color-coded system (red for unhealthy, yellow for moderate, green for healthy) bought substantially fewer sugary drinks compared to students without the labels, suggesting this simple visual tool can effectively influence teenage beverage choices in real-world school settings.
Researchers in Indonesia tested whether colorful warning labels on sugary drinks could help high school students make healthier choices. They put traffic light labels (red for unhealthy, yellow for okay, green for healthy) on drink menus in one school’s cafeteria for two months, along with a short lesson about nutrition. Students at that school bought significantly fewer sugary, high-calorie drinks compared to students at a school without the labels. According to Gram Research analysis, this simple visual tool combined with education appears to be an effective way to reduce unhealthy beverage consumption among teenagers.
Key Statistics
A quasi-experimental study of Indonesian high school students found that traffic light labeling on beverage menus combined with education significantly reduced purchases of high-energy, sugary, and fatty drinks over a two-month intervention period.
Research published in the Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health in 2026 showed that students exposed to traffic light labels on school cafeteria drink menus made measurably healthier beverage choices compared to control schools without the labeling system.
The intervention school in this study achieved significant reductions across all three nutrient categories (energy, sugar, and fat) in beverage purchases, with statistical significance at P less than 0.05, indicating the results were unlikely due to chance.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Whether colorful traffic light labels on drinks in school cafeterias would help teenagers buy fewer sugary beverages
- Who participated: High school students in Indonesia at two schools, one with traffic light labels and one without. Both groups had similar body weights and spending money at the start of the study.
- Key finding: Students who saw traffic light labels on drink menus purchased significantly fewer high-calorie, sugary, and fatty beverages over a two-month period compared to students without the labels
- What it means for you: Simple visual labels that show which drinks are healthy (green), okay (yellow), or unhealthy (red) can actually change what teenagers choose to drink. This suggests schools could use this low-cost tool to help students make better choices, though results may vary in different settings.
The Research Details
This study had two parts. First, researchers asked students what kind of warning labels they preferred and understood best. Then they conducted the main experiment at two high schools in Indonesia. One school displayed traffic light labels showing energy, sugar, and fat content on all beverage menus in the cafeteria for two months. Before the labels went up, students at that school received a short educational lesson about nutrition and healthy drinks. The other school showed a balanced nutrition poster instead. Researchers tracked what drinks students bought at the start, after one month, and after two months using online surveys where students reported their purchases.
This research approach is important because it tests a real-world solution in actual school settings where teenagers make daily food choices. By comparing two schools, researchers could see if the labels actually changed behavior rather than just asking students if they would change. The combination of visual labels plus education is more realistic than testing labels alone, since schools would likely teach students about the system.
The study was conducted in a real school environment, which makes the results more applicable to actual life. Both schools started with similar student populations in terms of weight and spending money, which means differences in drink purchases were likely due to the labels rather than other factors. However, the study only lasted two months, so we do not know if students would continue making healthier choices over longer periods.
What the Results Show
Students at the school with traffic light labels purchased significantly fewer high-energy drinks, sugary drinks, and fatty drinks compared to the control school. All three categories showed meaningful reductions (P less than 0.05, which means the results were statistically significant and unlikely due to chance). The intervention school started with a slightly lower average BMI-for-age z-score (0.03) compared to the control school (0.13), but both groups were in the normal healthy weight range. The traffic light labeling system, combined with the educational session, appeared to work together to influence student choices. Students seemed to understand the color coding and used it to make decisions about which drinks to purchase.
The study found that students’ initial nutritional status and pocket money amounts were similar between schools at baseline, which strengthens the conclusion that the labels caused the change in purchasing behavior. The fact that all three nutrient categories (energy, sugar, and fat) showed reductions suggests the labels helped students understand overall drink quality, not just one nutrient. The educational component appeared important, as the labels alone without teaching might not have been as effective.
Previous research has shown that warning labels on unhealthy foods can influence purchasing decisions, but most studies focused on adults in grocery stores. This research extends those findings to teenagers in school settings, which is important because schools are where young people make many daily food choices. The traffic light system has been used in other countries, but this is one of the first studies testing it specifically with Indonesian adolescents in their actual school cafeterias.
The study only lasted two months, so we do not know if students would continue making healthier choices over a full school year or longer. The sample size was not clearly reported, making it harder to judge how confident we should be in the results. The study only included high school students in Indonesia, so results might be different for younger students or in other countries with different food cultures. We do not know if students simply switched to other unhealthy snacks instead of drinks, or if they truly improved their overall nutrition.
The Bottom Line
Schools should consider implementing traffic light labeling systems on beverage menus combined with brief nutrition education. This approach appears moderately effective based on this research. However, schools should also monitor whether the effect lasts beyond a few months and consider combining labels with other strategies like limiting sugary drink availability or making water more accessible. Confidence level: moderate, based on a single well-designed study in one country.
School administrators and cafeteria managers should care about this research, as it offers a practical, low-cost way to help students make healthier choices. Parents and health educators may also find this useful for understanding how to influence teen behavior. Students themselves might appreciate knowing which drinks are healthier. This approach may be less relevant for very young children who cannot read labels, or for adults who make independent purchasing decisions.
Based on this study, students began purchasing fewer sugary drinks within the first month of seeing the labels. The effect continued through month two. However, we do not know if this improvement would continue after the labels have been up for several months, as students might get used to them and stop paying attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do traffic light labels actually help teenagers drink less soda and sugary drinks?
Yes, according to a 2026 study of Indonesian high school students, traffic light labels on school drink menus combined with education significantly reduced purchases of sugary and high-calorie beverages. Students bought noticeably fewer unhealthy drinks when labels were displayed.
How long does it take to see results from traffic light labeling in schools?
This study found measurable changes within the first month of implementing traffic light labels, with continued improvements through month two. However, researchers did not track whether the effect lasted beyond two months, so longer-term results remain unclear.
What makes traffic light labels work better than just telling students to drink less soda?
Traffic light labels provide instant visual information at the moment students make choices, making it easier to understand which drinks are healthy without reading detailed nutrition facts. Combined with education, the color system helps students internalize healthier preferences rather than just following rules.
Would traffic light labels work in other countries besides Indonesia?
This study only tested the system in Indonesia, so results in other countries may differ based on food culture and student preferences. However, similar labeling systems have shown promise in other regions, suggesting the approach could work more broadly with appropriate adaptation.
Can schools use traffic light labels without teaching students about nutrition?
This study combined labels with education, so we cannot say whether labels alone would work. The educational component likely helped students understand and use the color system effectively, suggesting both elements together are probably more effective than labels alone.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Track daily beverage purchases or consumption using a simple log that categorizes drinks by traffic light color (red, yellow, green). Users can set a weekly goal to reduce red-category drinks and increase green-category drinks, then monitor progress over time.
- Users can photograph beverage menus at their school or favorite stores and rate each drink using the traffic light system. They can then set reminders to choose green or yellow drinks instead of red ones, and share their choices with friends to create accountability.
- Create a weekly dashboard showing the percentage of green, yellow, and red beverages consumed. Track trends over 4-week periods to see if the proportion of healthier drinks increases. Users can also log energy levels and how they feel to correlate beverage choices with overall wellness.
This research describes the results of a two-month study in Indonesian schools and should not be considered medical advice. Individual results may vary based on age, location, and other factors. Parents and educators interested in implementing similar programs should consult with nutrition professionals and consider their specific school community. This study does not replace guidance from healthcare providers regarding individual dietary needs or concerns about weight or nutrition.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.