Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: a cross-sectional study among university students in Sarawak

Year 2023, Volume: 21 Issue: 2, 177 - 187, 23.08.2023

Whyelian Cheah , Leh Shii Law Su Bo Myat Abigail Eleanor Gani Andy, Yueh Lee Lau Mechyle Abing Nur Nadhirah Aisyah Mohd Yasin

https://doi.org/10.20518/tjph.984189

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and type of SSB among the students at a public university in Sarawak. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among undergraduate students in a public university of Malaysia. Using questionnaire, data on socio-demographic, SSB consumption, family and personal history of diabetes, knowledge on SSB intake was collected, together with anthropometry measurement. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22.0. Results: A total of 208 respondents participated in the study. About one fourth of the respondents consumed SSB at least one time daily (83.6%) and as high as 72.1% consumed SSBs more than three times a week. The top three most consumed types of SSBs were coffee, flavoured milk and 3-in-1 sachet drink (53.4 to 76.0%). Only ethnicity showed a significant association with daily intake of SSB where Malay and other ethics groups (Bumiputra Sarawak, Bumiputra Sabah, Indian and other ethnic groups) had higher daily consumption (≥1 times) of SSB compared to Chinese respondents. Other independent variables showed no significant difference between those who consumed SSB and consumed more than once per day. Conclusions: Understanding the SSB consumption among young adults is important to formulate a more effective intervention strategy especially at Malaysia with a multicultural society, in which every ethnicity has their own eating culture.

Keywords

Sugar-sweetened beverages, young adults, Borneo

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages: a cross-sectional study among university students in Sarawak

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the prevalence and type of Sugar-sweetened Beverages (SSB) consumption among students at a public university in Sarawak.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. Using questionnaires, data on socio-demographics, SSB consumption, family and personal history of diabetes, as well as knowledge of SSB intake was collected. Anthropometry measurement was also taken in the survey. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 22.0.

Results: A total of 208 respondents participated in the study. About one-fourth of the respondents consumed SSB at least once daily (83.6%) and as high as 72.1% consumed SSB more than three times a week. The top three most consumed types of SSBs were coffee, flavored milk, and 3-in-1 sachet drink (53.4 to 76.0%). Malay and other ethnic groups (Bumiputra Sarawak, Bumiputra Sabah, Indian, and other ethnic groups) recorded a significantly higher daily consumption of SSB (≥1 time) compared to Chinese respondents.

Conclusions: Understanding the pattern of SSB consumption among young adults is important to establish an effective intervention strategy. The findings highlighted the need for targeted interventions aimed at different ethnicities in view of their dietary consumption patterns in a multicultural society like Malaysia.

Keywords

Sugar-sweetened beverages, young adults, Borneo

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