Nutritional knowledge, attitude, and consumption pattern of sugar sweetened beverages among Somali students in Turkey

Nutrition plays a major role in the age of adults, especially at university, where unhealthy eating habits such as high consumption of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are adopted. Excessive consumption of SSBs was associated with obesity, tooth decay, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, subversive behaviors, and poor mental health. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted among Somali students in Turkey, so the aim of this study is to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of Somali students towards sugar sweetened beverages and determine the effect of SSBs on the body mass index (BMI). The data were collected by interview-based survey of a sample of 325 undergraduate and postgraduate students studying at universities in Istanbul, Ankara and Mersin. Participants were interviewed on socio-demographic, socio-economic status, a structured KAP-based questionnaire, and physical activity level as well as weight and height. The data were analyzed by using SPSS 25.0. To evaluate associations Spearman's correlation, chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal Wallis tests were used. All students surveyed reported consuming sugar-sweetened beverages, males were the highest consumers of sugary drinks compared to females. Packaged fruit juice and coke were the most frequently consumed beverages. Participants reported their primary reason for drinking soft drinks were taste (39%), and refreshment (20.6%). Almost 69% of female students and 49% of male students had an acceptable level of knowledge about the types of SSBs and potential health conditions if consumed excessively.76% students had positive attitude in reducing the consumption of sugary drinks. No significant correlation was found between BMI and SSBs consumption. In line with the high consumption of sugary drinks and the lack of awareness among students, interventions must begin at the university and home level. However, interventions in the food industry, media, government, and health care levels should play a role in improving healthy eating habits. Key words: Sugar- sweetened beverages, Nutritional knowledge, Consumption pattern, Body Mass Index, Somali students