Knowledge of the Health Consequences for the Consumption of Sugar Sweetened Beverages among Undergraduates in Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is a recognised dietary concern among young adults, yet context-specific evidence on students’ knowledge and consumption patterns remains limited in some Nigerian university settings. This study assessed knowledge of the health consequences of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and examined consumption patterns among undergraduates at Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 393 undergraduates selected from the Departments of Public Health and Political Science. Participants were recruited using a multi-stage sampling procedure with proportional allocation across academic levels. Data were collected using a structured, self-administered questionnaire covering socio-demographic characteristics, beverage consumption patterns, knowledge of health consequences, sources of information, and perceived barriers to reducing intake. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise variables, while chi-square tests assessed associations between selected variables at a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Most respondents were aged 21–25 years (47.3%), female (53.7%), Igbo (84.5%), and Christian (86.8%). Overall, 60.3% of respondents had high knowledge of SSB health consequences, while 39.7% had low knowledge. SSB consumption was reported by 82.7% of respondents, and 28.2% consumed SSBs four or more days per week. Among consumers, 71.7% exceeded the stated safe daily sugar limit. Carbonated soft drinks were the most commonly consumed beverages (38.5%). Social media (28.5%) and university courses or lectures (24.4%) were the leading sources of information. Knowledge level was not significantly associated with consumption frequency (χ² = 0.776, p=0.378), whereas consumption frequency was significantly associated with exceeding safe sugar limits (χ² = 108.640, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although knowledge of SSB-related health consequences was moderately high, consumption remained common and often excessive, indicating a knowledge-behaviour gap.