Introduction: Data on water and sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) intake
among young adults in Malaysia is sparse. This study aimed at measuring the
intake of plain water and SSB among undergraduate students in a Malaysian
university and examine its association with body mass index (BMI). Methods:
A total of 376 undergraduate students aged 18-30 years were recruited. A selfadministered questionnaire was used to determine the SSB consumption pattern.
The questionnaire consisted of five sections that included the background of the
participants, knowledge about SSB, SSB preferences, frequency and portion size.
Results: 23.9% of subjects in this study were overweight. Almost all of the subjects
took outside food (93.1%) and drink (74.2%). The highest daily consumption was
plain water (92.3%), with a majority drinking more than two cups at each intake.
Caffeinated drinks (coffee or tea) were the most popular SSB among the students
(18.4%). Most students (79.7%) did not consume SSB on a daily basis. A significant
association was found between the proportion of plain water consumption and BMI
(p