Exploring the Social Determinants of Drinking Sugary Beverages Leading to Chronic Illness Among Latina/o Populations

Introduction: The aim of this qualitative study was to assess Latina/o students’ sugary drink consumption patterns and understand the social determinants leading to this consumption behavior in order to design more effective health communication–based campaigns. This study examined the perceived reasons behind high levels of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption among college students of Hispanic origin in the Texas Panhandle region. Method: Fifteen Latina/o students were interviewed via an innovative social media–based online interviewing protocol. Results: Subsequent analyses revealed that peer pressure, socializing, unavailability of packaged drinking water during social events, targeted advertisements, and poor lifestyle choices were perceived reasons for high intake of SSB in the focal population. Conclusion: This study recommends designing public service announcements geared to Latino/a youth that increase awareness about the long-term health risks that can result from high consumption of SSBs. Moreover, the positive health benefits of drinking water should be highlighted and Latina/o parents should avoid glorifying SSBs and restrict their SSB consumption in front of their children. Further research should aim at designing educational messages, using theoretical backing, to test how Latina/o youth respond to them.