A Comparison of the Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages by College Students in Body Mass Index Groups

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A Comparison of the Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages by College Students in Body Mass Index Groups A COMPARISON OF THE CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES BY COLLEGE STUDENTS IN BODY MASS INDEX GROUPS A master’s thesis submitted to the Kent State University College of Education, Health, and Human Services in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Nutrition By Rahaf Al Hamad May 2021 © Copyright, 2021 by Rahaf M. Al Hamad All Rights Reserved ii Thesis written by Rahaf M. Al Hamad B.S.Ed., University of Dayton, 2018 M.S., Kent State University, 2021 Approved by __________________________, Director, Master’s Thesis Committee Eun-Jeong (Angie) Ha __________________________, Member, Master’s Thesis Committee Natalie Caine-Bish __________________________, Member, Master’s Thesis Committee Tanya Falcone Accepted by __________________________, Director, School of Health Sciences Ellen L. Glickman __________________________, Dean, College of Education, Health, and Human James C. Hannon Services iii AL HAMAD, RAHAF M., M.S., May 2021 Nutrition and Dietetics A COMPARISON OF THE CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR-SWEETENED BEVERAGES BY COLLEGE STUDENTS IN BODY MASS INDEX GROUPS (149 pp.) Thesis Director: Eun-Jeong (Angie) Ha, Ph.D. The purpose of this retrospective, nonexperimental study was to compare the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) by college students in BMI groups (N=209). Data were collected from students enrolled in Science of Human Nutrition at a Midwestern public university. More than half the students were women (73.2%) and freshmen (55.2%). The study involved a demographic survey, a three-day dietary log, and anthropometric measurements for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to examine demographics and types of SSBs. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the association of SSB intake, calories derived from SSBs, and sugar derived from SSBs in students whose body mass index (BMI) classified them as underweight‒normal, overweight, and obese. Significance for the results was set at p-value < 0.05. Although the results revealed no significant differences between SSB consumption and BMI categories, they showed that approximately 65% of students consumed SSBs during the three-day period, suggesting the importance of the study. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I thank my parents for always supporting my education and my dreams. I am blessed to have them as my parents. I would never have been able to attain my goals without their love and support. I am grateful to Dr. Eun-Jeong Ha, my advisor, for her help and patience. I thank her for pushing me to go to the extra mile. I appreciate Dr. Natalie Caine-Bish for supporting me and believing in me. I am thankful for Professor Tanya Falcone, who enlightened me with her invaluable input. I appreciate her feedback and support. I also thank Dr. Ellen Glickman for supporting my research. Finally, I deeply appreciate my siblings and friends who supported me and have been there for me when I needed them the most. I thank them for their support of my journey and encouraging me to achieve my goals. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ iv LIST OF TABLES ...........................................................................................................viii CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem ...........................................................................................2 Purpose Statement ......................................................................................................3 Hypotheses .................................................................................................................4 Operational Definitions ..............................................................................................4 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ..........................................................................................5 Current Intake of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in the General Population ...............5 Trends in SSB Consumption Throughout the Life Span .....................................5 Added Sugar From SSBs Compared to Current Recommendation .....................7 Main Components of SSBs ........................................................................................8 Sugar ....................................................................................................................8 Sucrose ......................................................................................................... 10 High Fructose Corn Syrup ........................................................................... 10 Other Ingredients ............................................................................................... 11 Phosphoric Acid… ...................................................................................... 12 Caffeine ....................................................................................................... 12 Types of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages ..................................................................... 13 Soft Drinks ......................................................................................................... 13 Water ............................................................................................................ 14 Sugar ............................................................................................................ 15 Acid .............................................................................................................. 17 Carbonation .................................................................................................. 17 Colorings and Flavorings ............................................................................. 18 Caffeine Content .......................................................................................... 19 Consumption Data ....................................................................................... 20 Sport Drinks ....................................................................................................... 20 Types ............................................................................................................ 21 Carbohydrates .............................................................................................. 22 Electrolytes .................................................................................................. 23 Other Components ....................................................................................... 25 Consumption Data ....................................................................................... 25 Energy Drinks .................................................................................................... 26 Sugar ............................................................................................................ 26 Caffeine ........................................................................................................ 27 Amino Acids ................................................................................................ 28 v Vitamins ....................................................................................................... 28 Plant-Based Stimulants ................................................................................ 29 Consumption Data ....................................................................................... 30 Sweetened Coffee .............................................................................................. 31 Composition ................................................................................................. 32 Sugar ............................................................................................................ 32 Caffeine Content .......................................................................................... 33 Consumption Data ....................................................................................... 34 Sweetened Tea ................................................................................................... 35 Composition ................................................................................................. 36 Sugar ............................................................................................................ 36 Caffeine Content .......................................................................................... 37 Consumption Data ....................................................................................... 38 Lemonade ........................................................................................................... 38 Sugar ............................................................................................................ 39 Citric Acid .................................................................................................... 39 Flavored Water................................................................................................... 40 Sugar ............................................................................................................ 40 Consumption Data ....................................................................................... 40 Metabolism .............................................................................................................. 41 Glucose Uptake .................................................................................................
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