# Obesity, beverage consumption and sleep patterns in rural African women in relation to advertising of these beverages

## TL;DR

This study explores how obesity, beverage consumption, and sleep patterns are linked in rural African women, highlighting unhealthy habits that contribute to non-communicable diseases.

## Contribution

The study identifies novel associations between sleep quality, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and obesity in rural black South African women.

## Key findings

- Participants with poor sleep consumed more sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol.
- Better sleep was associated with lower consumption of sugary drinks and lower body weight.
- The study highlights unhealthy lifestyle behaviors contributing to non-communicable diseases in rural women.

## Abstract

The burden of obesity-related, non-communicable diseases in South Africa is persistent, with poor and black South African women particularly vulnerable. The purpose of the present study was to determine relationships between obesity, physical activity, sleep patterns and beverage consumption among black South African women in a rural village in the Limpopo province.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 rural-dwelling African women. Data were collected on beverage consumption, sociodemographic information, sleep patterns and anthropometry using self-reported questionnaires.

The mean body mass index (BMI) was 28.5±7.3 kg/m2, with 40% being classified as obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and the mean sleep score was 4.68±2.51. Participants with very bad habitual sleeping patterns consumed significantly more sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol than those with very good sleeping patterns. We also observed that when total coffee with sugar, fruit juice, total sugar-sweetened beverages and weight decreased the number of hours participants slept increased.

The study identified significant associations between body weight, sleep duration and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among rural black South African women. This underscores a need to address unhealthy lifestyle behaviours to lower incidences of non-communicable diseases in rural-dwelling women.