Actitud de los adolescentes hacia los refrescos y factores asociados a su consumo

Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate adolescents’ attitudes towards soft drinks and identify the underlying factors that are associated with their consumption of such drinks. MethodA cross-sectional study was conducted among 213 adolescents aged between 10 and 19years living in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was used to assess their socio-demographic and soft drinks consumption-related characteristics, and their attitudes towards soft drinks. Structural equation modelling was employed to identify the potential factors associated with soft drink consumption among adolescents. ResultsMore than 80% of the adolescents consumed soft drinks at least once a week. Overall, adolescents had a positive attitude toward soft drinks. Results revealed that adolescent's attitudes, gender, accessibility of soft drinks at school/college, distance from home to shop, outside food intake habit and parents’ soft drinks consumption were the factors associated with their consumption of soft drinks. ConclusionHigh proportion of adolescents consumed soft drinks. Thus, a community and individual level nutrition education programme with targeted behaviour change might be helpful to reduce the consumption of sweetened beverages among adolescents.