Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intakes and Its Associated Factors among Young Children in Malaysia

Background/Aims: There is little information about the multifactorial aspects of diet, lifestyle, and parental characteristics associated with habitual SSB consumption in Asian children. This study aimed to assess habitual SSB intake patterns related to dietary and lifestyle practices and parental characteristics of 590 Malayand Chinese-young children aged 3 to 6 years old in Kelantan, Malaysia. Methods: Pre-piloted parental questionnaires were used to assess dietary and lifestyle practices. Anthropometry assessments were taken for both, participants and their parents. Results: Multiple logistic regression models showed that dietary factors such as more frequent snacks consumption [OR 2.7; 95% CI, 1.6– 4.4; p < 0.001] and greater fast food intake [OR 3.5; 95% CI, 1.9– 6.3; p < 0.001] were associated with higher SSB intake, as compared to lower intakes of snacks and fast-foods. Participants with higher fruit and vegetables intake per day had lower SSB intake [OR 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2–0.8; p < 0.05] compared to those with lower daily fruit and vegetable intakes, after full adjustment of biological and parental characteristics as well as dietary and lifestyle confounders. A positive association between higher weekly vigorous PA status [OR 1.9; 95% CI, 1.0–3.4; p < 0.05] and daily screen-based practices [OR 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2–3.6; p < 0.05] with habitual SSB intake was also reported, after full adjustment of potential confounders. These results suggested that multiple dietary and lifestyle factors might significantly influence SSB intake among young children. Conclusions: There should be continued effort to encourage healthier alternative beverage choices, as well as healthy dietary and active lifestyle practices among children during their critical years of growth.