Unhealthy Lifestyle Associated with Higher Intake of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages among Malaysian School-Aged Adolescents.

Wan Ying Gan,Leh Shii Law,Siti Fathiah Mohamed

doi:10.3390/ijerph16152785

Abstract

High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) among adolescents has turned into a global concern due to its negative impact on health. This cross-sectional study determined the amount of SSB consumption among adolescents and its associated factors. A total of 421 adolescents aged 13.3 ± 1.3 years (41.8% males, 58.2% females) completed a self-administered questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity, screen-viewing behavior, sleep quality, frequency of eating at fast food restaurants, home food availability, peer social pressure, parenting practice, and SSB consumption. Weight and height were measured. Results showed that the mean daily consumption of SSBs among adolescents was 1038.15 ± 725.55 mL. The most commonly consumed SSB was malted drink, while the least commonly consumed SSB was instant coffee. The multiple linear regression results revealed that younger age (β = −0.204, p < 0.001), higher physical activity (β = 0.125, p = 0.022), higher screen time (β = 0.147, p = 0.007), poorer sleep quality (β = 0.228, p < 0.001), and unhealthy home food availability (β = 0.118, p = 0.032) were associated with a higher SSB intake. Therefore, promoting a healthy lifestyle may help to reduce the excessive consumption of SSBs among adolescents.

Highlights

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are defined as any beverage that has added sugar or caloric sweetener such as “sucrose (50% glucose, 50% fructose), high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS; most often 45% glucose and 55% fructose), or fruit juice concentrates by manufacturers, establishments, or individuals and usually contain >25 kcal per 8 fluid ounces” [1]
Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to calories in diet, wherein consumption in large amounts leads to poor diet quality and obesity due to the added sugar content with little or nil nutritional value while being high in calories [1,2]
This study explored the associations of lifestyle factors, socio-environmental factors, and body weight status with consumption of SSBs among adolescents in Malaysia, which has not been previously reported

Summary

Introduction

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are defined as any beverage that has added sugar or caloric sweetener such as “sucrose (50% glucose, 50% fructose), high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS; most often 45% glucose and 55% fructose), or fruit juice concentrates by manufacturers, establishments, or individuals and usually contain >25 kcal per 8 fluid ounces” [1]. Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute to calories in diet, wherein consumption in large amounts leads to poor diet quality and obesity due to the added sugar content with little or nil nutritional value while being high in calories [1,2]. Apart from obesity, a high consumption of SSBs has adverse effects on children’s health, such as increased likelihood of dental caries, insulin resistance risk, and caffeine-related effects [5]. Public Health 2019, 16, 2785; doi:10.3390/ijerph16152785 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion