2021 Volume 79 Issue 2 Pages 76-89
Objective: This study aimed to understand the status of dietary lifestyles and beverage consumption among university students in Malaysia and to identify their characteristics.
Methods: Dietary lifestyle and beverage consumption surveys were conducted between March and April 2019 with 632 students from MARA University of Technology (Universiti Teknologi MARA:UiTM) Dungun in Terengganu State and UiTM Puncak Alam in Selangor State, Malaysia. The questionnaire responses of the dietary lifestyle survey were scored, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the differences between groups, between male and female students as well as between universities. The results of the beverage consumption survey were tabulated by item, and a χ2 test was conducted.
Results: The dietary lifestyle survey revealed that all subjects understood the relationship between exercise and health and the importance of eating habits. However, they lacked knowledge related to sugar intake. Moreover, the subjects skipped more breakfasts than lunches or dinners. Female students demonstrated a high awareness of sugar intake and a strong interest in nutrition education workshops, while male students tended to be interested and actively engaged in exercise. The beverage consumption survey revealed a high water consumption frequency among all subjects. Furthermore, the frequency of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), such as black tea with condensed milk or sugar and malted beverages, was high. Female students consumed sugar-free beverages less frequently than male students.
Conclusion: Issues related to sugar intake and SSB consumption frequency among student subjects became evident in the present study.
