Daily Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake and Its Association with Undiagnosed Non-Communicable Diseases Among Malaysian Adults: Findings from a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study found that over half of Malaysian adults consume sugar-sweetened beverages daily, but no strong link was found with undiagnosed non-communicable diseases.

Contribution

The study provides nationally representative data on SSB intake and its sociodemographic patterns in Malaysia.

Findings

Daily SSB intake was 53.6% among Malaysian adults.

Higher SSB consumption was linked to being female, older, Indian, or unemployed.

No significant association was found between SSB intake and undiagnosed NCDs.

Abstract

Background/objective: We examined the prevalence of daily sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake, identifying its sociodemographic determinants and exploring its potential association with undiagnosed non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among Malaysian adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 6596 Malaysian adults participating in the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS). Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association between daily SSB intake and the risk of undiagnosed diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity while adjusting for potential confounders. Results: The prevalence of daily SSB intake was 53.6%, with higher intake observed among females, older adults, Indians, and unemployed individuals. After adjusting for confounders, daily SSB intake was not significantly associated with undiagnosed diabetes (adjusted OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.80–1.29), undiagnosed hypertension (adjusted OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.81–1.22), undiagnosed hypercholesterolemia (adjusted OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.83–1.18), or obesity (adjusted OR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.91–1.27). Conclusions: This study highlights the high prevalence of daily SSB intake among Malaysian adults, driven by sociodemographic factors. While a lack of direct associations with undiagnosed NCDs was observed, the high prevalence of SSB intake raises concerns about long-term health impacts. Targeted public health interventions are essential to address the cultural and economic determinants of SSB intake, as well as future research adopting longitudinal designs to explore how sustained reductions in SSB intake influence the risk of developing NCDs.

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