Knowledge of elementary school children about the health risks of sugar-sweetened beverages

Abstract

Limitations in school-age children's knowledge about unhealthy eating and drinking patterns can increase the risk of long-term health problems, so early prevention efforts are needed. This study aims to provide an overview of the level of knowledge of elementary school children about the dangers of packaged sweetened beverages. The study used a quantitative descriptive design with a cross-sectional approach. 133 fifth and sixth grade students were involved in the study, selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation. The results showed that most respondents had a good level of knowledge about the dangers of packaged sweetened beverages. A better level of knowledge tended to be found in older students, female students, students whose parents worked as private employees or entrepreneurs, students who obtained health information from the internet, and students who more often bought packaged sweetened beverages at school. The findings indicate that elementary school children already have a sufficient knowledge base regarding the health risks of sweetened beverages, but environmental factors and sources of information still play an important role in shaping this understanding. Strengthening school-based health education and family support is necessary to encourage healthier beverage choices from an early age.