Factors Influencing the Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages by Taiwanese Hospitality Students

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by Taiwanese hospitality students and selected demographic characteristics. It also examined the relationships among knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and social support and the total quantity of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. The sample consisted of 550 vocational high school hospitality students in Taiwan. The data revealed that participants with better knowledge, more health-aware attitudes, and greater expectations of negative outcomes drank smaller amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages. By contrast, those with higher levels of social support and expectations of positive outcomes consumed sugar-sweetened beverages in greater amounts. Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relative impact of gender, knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, outcome expectations and social support on the total amounts of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Limitations and future research recommendations were also discussed.

Keywords:

• consumption
• sugar-sweetened beverage
• self-efficacy
• outcome expectancy
• social support
• hospitality students