Consumption of sweetened beverages and associated factors in adults

The aim of this study was to evaluate the regular consumption of sweetened beverages and its association with sociodemographic and behavioral aspects in a city in the southwest of Brazil. It involves is a population-based study of 1,226 adults aged 20 to 59 living in the urban area of the municipality of Vicosa in the state of Minas Gerais. A structured questionnaire to measure sociodemographic and behavioral conditions was applied. The consumption of sweetened beverages was considered regular when the frequency of consumption was five or more times a week. Regular consumption of sweetened beverages was higher in men and women aged between 20 and 29 years (p < 0.01). Men with the habit of eating meals in front of the television (p = 0.03) and women dissatisfied with their weight (p = 0.03) consumed greater regular amounts of sweetened beverages. The conclusion reached is that older individuals showed less regular consumption of sweetened beverages and that the consumption of same was associated with obesogenic behaviors, such as the habit of eating meals in front of the television and among individuals dissatisfied with their body weight.