Robert Wood Johnson Foundation [to 14 March 2015]
http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/news-releases.html

Most Parents Believe Some Sugary Drinks Are Healthy Choices for Kids
Vast majority provided sugary drinks in past month; many cited on-package claims as reason for selection.
March 12, 2015
Hartford, Conn.—Despite public health messages about the importance of reducing consumption of sugary drinks, many parents believe that some drinks with high amounts of added sugar—especially fruit drinks, sports drinks and flavored water—are healthy options for children, according to a new study from the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut, published in Public Health Nutrition.
“Although most parents know that soda is not good for children, many still believe that other sugary drinks are healthy options. The labeling and marketing for these products imply that they are nutritious, and these misperceptions may explain why so many parents buy them,” said Jennifer Harris, PhD, a study author and Director of Marketing Initiatives at the Rudd Center…
…The study, called “Parents’ beliefs about the healthfulness of sugary drink options: opportunities to address misperceptions,” surveyed an ethnically diverse, national sample of 982 parents, each with at least one 2- to 17-year-old child, in 2011…
…The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) funded the study. RWJF recently committed $500 million over the next 10 years to ensure that all children in the United States can grow up at a healthy weight, no matter who they are or where they live. One of the Foundation’s five strategic priorities is to eliminate the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among children 5 years old and younger.