Consumption of added sugars among undergraduate students at a South African university and its association with BMI

Objectives: A study was undertaken to quantify added sugar intake; to show the association between added sugar intake and body mass index (BMI); and to identify determinants of added sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Subjects: Non-probability sampling was used to recruit a sample of 387 undergraduate students, aged 18–25 years: 128 males and 259 females. Setting: The study was conducted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg campus. Outcome measures: BMI was calculated using weight and height. The mean added sugar and dietary energy intake was measured using a 24-hour dietary recall. The frequency and mean amount of added sugars consumed was analysed using a food frequency questionnaire. Results: Females (66.1%), Black Africans (90.4%), and students living away from home (76.7%) formed the majority of the study sample. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 19.1% and 8.5%, respectively, with 64.9% of students having a normal BMI. There was a significant association between the frequency of consuming flavoured milks, hot chocolate drinks, jam and chocolate bars and BMI. Female students and those living at home consumed added sugars significantly more frequently than their counterparts. Taste and price were significantly associated with purchasing/consuming SSBs. Conclusion: A significant association between the frequency of consuming certain food items containing added sugar and the students’ BMI was observed. Poor dietary habits could impact negatively on an individual's weight status, thus highlighting the need for strategies to promote healthier dietary and lifestyle behaviours among young adults.

• Publication year

  2018

• Venue

  South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition

• Publication date

  2018-12-12

• Fields of study

  Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1080/16070658.2018.1553360
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Evaluation of the 24-Hour Recall as a Reference Instrument for Calibrating Other Self-Report Instruments in Nutritional Cohort Studies: Evidence From the Validation Studies Pooling Project

  2017cited by this paper
• Transcription Factor Nrf2: a novel target to modulate inflammatory and neuroprotective responses in Parkinson’s disease

  2015cited by this paper
• A Review of Dietary Surveys in the Adult South African Population from 2000 to 2015

  2015cited by this paper
• Demographic, dietary and physical activity predictors of general and abdominal obesity among university students: a cross-sectional study

  2015cited by this paper
• Assessment of lifestyle and eating habits among undergraduate students in northern Italy.

  2015cited by this paper
• A meta-analysis of weight gain in first year university students: is freshman 15 a myth?

  2015cited by this paper
• Prevalence and Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity among University Students of the Health Field in San Luis Potosí México

  2015cited by this paper
• Assessment of Dietary Intake Patterns and Their Correlates among University Students in Lebanon

  2014cited by this paper
• Determinants of eating behaviour in university students: a qualitative study using focus group discussions

  2014cited by this paper
• Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980-2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013.

  2014cited by this paper
• A systematic review of the effectiveness of food taxes and subsidies to improve diets: understanding the recent evidence.

  2014cited by this paper
• Empowering healthy food and beverage choices in the workplace : issues in occupational health

  2014cited by this paper
• Nutritional status of undergraduate healthcare students at the University of the Free State

  2013cited by this paper
• Community Health Assessment by Local Health Departments: Presence of Epidemiologist, Governance, and Federal and State Funds are Critical

  2013cited by this paper
• 1. An introduction to the revised food-based dietary guidelines for South Africa

  2013cited by this paper
• 11. Sugar and health: a food-based dietary guideline for South Africa

  2013cited by this paper
• Non-nutritive sweeteners: review and update.

  2013cited by this paper
• Body weight, eating practices and nutritional knowledge amongst university nursing students, Eastern Cape, South Africa

  2012cited by this paper
• Association of Methylentetraydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) 677 C > T gene polymorphism and homocysteine levels in psoriasis vulgaris patients from Malaysia: a case-control study

  2012cited by this paper
• Dietary sugars and body weight: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials and cohort studies

  2012cited by this paper
• Global gender disparities in obesity: a review.

  2012cited by this paper
• Sweetness and Food Preference

  2012cited by this paper
• Weight gain, physical activity and dietary changes during the seven months of first-year university life in Malawi

  2012cited by this paper
• Relation between Eating Habits and a High Body Mass Index among Freshman Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

  2012cited by this paper
• Senior High School Female Students’ Interest in Physics as a Course of Study at the University Level in Ghana

  2012cited by this paper
• Relationships between food consumption and living arrangements among university students in four European countries - A cross-sectional study

  2012cited by this paper
• Differences in eating behaviours, dietary intake and body weight status between male and female Malaysian University students.

  2011cited by this paper
• The virtual supermarket: An innovative research tool to study consumer food purchasing behaviour

  2011cited by this paper
• Price and availability of healthy food: a study in rural South Africa.

  2011cited by this paper
• Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men.

  2011cited by this paper
• Sex differences in obesity rates in poor countries: evidence from South Africa.

  2009cited by this paper
• Choose Your Foods: Exchange Lists for Diabetes, Sixth Edition, 2008: Description and Guidelines for Use

  2008cited by this paper
• Organizational research: Determining appropriate sample size in survey research

  2001cited by this paper

• The Implications of the Sugar Tax on Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Habits Among Rural-Based South African University Students

  2025cites this paper
• Trends in sales of sugar-sweetened beverages and associated type 2 diabetes burden in nine African countries: an ecological time-series analysis

  2025cites this paper
• Global and regional trends in public interest in cola and energy drinks across English-speaking countries

  2025cites this paper
• Identification and follow up of cardiovascular disease risk factors among participants at a pharmacy student-led screening program

  2025cites this paper
• Association between added sugar consumption in foods and beverages and body mass index among adolescents in university southern Thailand: a cross-sectional study.

  2024cites this paper
• Consumption patterns of sugar-sweetened beverages among tertiary institution students in Abeokuta, Nigeria and their association with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes using FINDRISC

  2024cites this paper
• Modeling and empirical evidence of the impact of implementation of sugar sweetened-beverages tax to reduce non-communicable diseases prevalence: a systematic review

  2024cites this paper
• Greek-Cypriot students’ knowledge, attitudes, and actions regarding consumption of added sugar: A cross-sectional study

  2023influential citation
• Consumption of free sugars and dietary sources in the diet of university students according to socioeconomic and lifestyle factors

  2023cites this paper
• Body mass index levels in students living in areas of military conflict

  2023influential citation
• Dietary patterns, behaviours, and their associated factors among university students in coastal Kenya

  2022cites this paper
• Snacking pattern of college students in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

  2022cites this paper
• The relationship between eating habits, socio-demographic characteristics and body mass index among undergraduate students from two selected universities, Tanzania

  2020influential citation
• Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Towards Added Sugar Consumption among Undergraduate Female Students in Madinah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

  2020cites this paper