Understanding Sugar-sweetened Beverages Consumption Behavior among Cambodian Nursing and Midwifery Students in Phnom Penh, Cambodia using Social Cognitive Theory
Keywords:
nursing and midwifery, self-efficacy, sugar-sweetened beverages, health behaviorAbstract
Excessive sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption contributes to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. Despite knowledge and awareness of these risks, nursing and midwifery students often continue to consume SSBs, suggesting some knowledge–behavior gap. Understanding the factors driving SSBs consumption in this population is critical for developing effective nutrition interventions. The objective of this study is to examine the association between knowledge, self-efficacy and accessibility and the amount of SSBs intake among nursing and midwifery students in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 420 nursing and midwifery students in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (mean age 20.8±2.4 years) using pencil-and-paper questionnaires to assess SSBs intake, knowledge, self-efficacy, and accessibility toward SSBs consumption. Multivariable linear regression with adjustment for covariates was used to examine the associations between these factors and SSBs intake. Results showed that the average daily intake of SSBs in this population was approximately 11 ounces/day, providing approximately 40 grams of sugar and 300 kilocalories. Students who reported higher self-efficacy consumed lower amounts amount of SSBs (6 oz of SSBs, and 21 grams of sugar from SSBs) than those who reported lower self-efficacy. Knowledge and accessibility did not appear to be significantly associated with SSBs consumption in this population. These findings highlight the fact that focusing on improving self-efficacy, rather than knowledge alone, could be a promising strategy for future nutrition interventions to decrease SSBs consumption in this population.
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