Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: A Cross-Sectional Study among Adolescents in Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

This study aims to examine the level of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of adolescents towards sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), together with the associated factors that determine their KAP. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires that consisted of sociodemographic, the KAP for the SSB questionnaire, and the Beverage Intake Questionnaire (BEVQ). The respondents’ heights, weights, waist circumferences and body fat percentages were measured. This study involved 439 adolescents aged between 13 and 17 years old, in public secondary schools in Selangor, Malaysia. The results reveal that 35% of the adolescents were overweight, 26% had a high waist circumference, and 45% had a high body fat percentage. Caffeinated drinks and full cream milk were the most frequently consumed SSBs. The KAP score revealed a good attitude (88.4%), a moderate knowledge (51.8%) and a poor practice (40.5%). Those with a higher body fat percentage showed significantly good attitude scores (p < 0.05). Low household income groups, females, adolescents aged 16–17 years old and being from an urban area demonstrated a significant (p < 0.05) positive determinant towards the KAP score. In conclusion, high awareness of negative health outcomes associated with SSBs among adolescents was not in accordance with the level of their lifestyle choices.

Cross sectional study on behavioral determinants associated with sugary foods and beverages and its corelates with body mass index among adolescents

“…This finding is consistent with that of Singh et al study done in adolescents among Kathmandu valley which showed a significantly higher risk of being overweight/obese: who consumed soft drink ≥1 time/day compared to < 1 time/day in past 1 months of the study (RRR = 5.44, 95% CI: 2.93– 10.10) 39 Higher proportion of being overweight or obese was seen among adolescents who consumed more fast foods than the less frequent consumer was observed in the study done in Mangalore city of India as well. 33 However, on the contrary, no association was found between KAP on SSB intake and body mass index among Malay adolescents in the study conducted by Teng et al 36 This conflicting study results could be associated with the nature of the study as our study didn’t consider factors such as time period of consumption.…”

“…30,33 No associations were seen between the socio-demographic characteristics and consumption status of Sugar Sweetened Beverages in a study conducted among school adolescents in Selangor, Malaysia. 36 Around one third of the respondent were consuming sugary foods and drinks due to influence of good taste in this study. Similar findings had been seen in other studies as well where highest (52%) number of the adolescents consuming processed foods mentioned taste as the major reason for consumption in a study conducted by Subedi et al among secondary level students in Ratnanagar Municipality.…”

Association between Adequate Fruit and Vegetable Intake and CVDs-Associated Risk Factors among the Malaysian Adults: Findings from a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study

“…Empowering the local community with knowledge regarding the negative health outcomes associated with poor dietary practices (i.e., disease–diet relationships) has been the continuous effort of various government agencies. However, the data from the local studies revealed that good knowledge and attitudes on disease–diet relationships were not translated to good dietary practices, regardless of their age and gender [ 33 , 34 ]. This could be also the underlying reason for the observed low prevalence of adequate fruit and vegetable intake among the respondents in this study and is pending further investigation.…”

“…This could be also the underlying reason for the observed low prevalence of adequate fruit and vegetable intake among the respondents in this study and is pending further investigation. On the other hand, the inadequate daily intake of fruit and vegetables was shown to be due to poor dietary practices usually established in childhood and that tended to carry into later adulthood [ 33 , 35 ], which suggested childhood was an opportune time for health-promoting interventions that incorporate the role of parents/caregivers as positive role models to instill good dietary practices among children [ 35 , 36 , 37 ].…”

Association Between Child Sugary Drink Consumption and Serum Lipid Levels in Electronic Health Records

“…There are several known contributors to this disparity, one of which is that companies use strategies such as athlete/celebrity endorsements and social media promotions that target minoritized adolescents and mislead them to believe these beverages are healthy. [9][10][11][12] In addition, concerns about the safety and palatability of tap water are prevalent in lower-income urban communities of color, making this an unappealing alternative to sugary drinks. [13][14][15][16] Children in these communities also have a higher risk of developing obesity and other chronic metabolic illnesses.…”