Sugar Intake Workshop Evaluation: A Case Study of Malaysian University Students

Abstract

The present study investigated the effectiveness of a nutrition education workshop focusing on sugar intake conducted for Malay university students. The workshop aimed to enable appropriate beverage selection in order to help prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

A nutrition education workshop was conducted on 85 Malay students at one university in each of Selangor and Kelantan states who responded to a pre-workshop survey. Using a before-after design, a pre-and post-workshop comparison was conducted regarding the 61 female students who submitted the post-workshop survey.

In the pre-workshop survey, high scores were obtained for items on knowledge and attitude regarding ideal dietary habits, exercise, and health. However, scores were low for items on knowledge related to sugar intake. Frequency of intake of sugarless beverages during break times was low.

Pre- and post-workshop comparison revealed a significant post-workshop increase in the proportion of students who self-assessed as having knowledge regarding sugar intake. The proportion of students who self-assessed as considering sugar intake in their attitude and behaviors also significantly increased. A significant pre- and post-workshop difference in frequency of intake was observed regarding syrup-sweetened juices and milo drink.

The post-workshop survey demonstrated an improvement in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding sugar intake, suggesting that workshops focusing on sugar intake are a meaningful form of nutrition education for preventing NCDs.