According to a new study, banning sodas and other high-sugar drinks at schools canteens will only provide limited effect in their overall consumptions by the teens.

These sodas and sugar-sweetened drinks are considered one of the biggest causes of childhood obesity in the US and because of it they are being banned in many schools countrywide. To evaluate the impact of these bans, 456 students were followed, at seven different schools in Maine, over the period of two years. The researchers found that four out these seven schools curbed the availability of the beverages while the rest of three didn’t take any action to control their use in schools.

The researchers noted an overall decrease in these beverages intake no matter whether they were going to an intervention school or not. The study has been published in the November issue of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

The lead author of the study, Janet E. Whatley Blum, says: “The study shows that curbing the availability of SSB can be made in high schools, but the data show that there might be limited effect of this decreased availability of sodas in schools.”

“We need to determine the effectiveness of these school food strategies especially for those teens who tend to obesity,” Whatley added.