Consumption pattern of beverages among Nigerian undergraduates in some selected federal universities: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: It has been reported that university undergraduates consume beverages more than their uneducated peers.

Objectives: The study was aimed at assessing the consumption pattern of beverages among undergraduate students in Nigerian federal universities.

Methods: Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 3248 respondents for the present study. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on the socio-demographic status and pattern of beverage consumption of the respondents. Data was presented using descriptive and inferential statistics and analyzed using the Statistics Product for Service Solution (SPSS) version 20. A probability (p) value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: More than half (56.20%) of the respondents were in the age range 20-24 years and majority (95.10%) of them were single. Nearly all (95.30%, 95.30% and 96.40%) of the respondents in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, university of Ibadan (UI) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) consumed different types of beverages, respectively. There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in the intake of beverages across the three institutions.

Conclusion: There was high prevalence of consumption of beverages by the respondents across the three institutions; however, students from UI consumed healthier and nutritious beverages compared to others in ABU and UNN. Therefore nutrition education should be carried out in Nigerian universities to the intake of more nutritious beverages in order to promote health.