Sugar-sweetened beverages are frequently consumed among adults and are linked with the incidence of obesity. We aimed to determine rates of weekly and daily sugar-sweetened beverage intake in a multi-ethnic population of young men and their association with sociodemographic characteristics and obesity. This cross-sectional study included 3600 young men who lived in Riyadh, KSA. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics and frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption were gathered through personal interviews. The outcome variables in this study are based on the weekly and daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Weight and height were measured following standard protocols. The rates of weekly and daily sugar-sweetened beverage intake by participants were 93.6% and 40.8%, respectively. Nationality was a predictor of weekly and daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. The highest rates of weekly (99.5%) and daily (63.9%) consumption were observed in subjects from the Philippines and Yemen, respectively, while Bangladeshi subjects had the lowest rates of weekly (76.9%) and daily (6.9%) consumption. Obesity was another predictor of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Obese participants had a significantly higher odds ratio of weekly sugar-sweetened beverage consumption than non-obese subjects (OR = 4.53, p = 0.037). In conclusion, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was relatively high and our results support an association between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and certain sociodemographic variables and obesity.
Numerous generations have been affected by hunger, which still affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The hunger crisis is worsening although many efforts have been made to minimize it. Besides that, food waste is one of the critical problems faced by most countries worldwide. It has disrupted the food chain system due to inefficient waste management, while negatively impacting the environment. The majority of the waste is from the food production process, resulting in a net zero production for food manufacturers while also harnessing its potential. Most food production wastes are high in nutritional and functional values, yet most of them end up as low-cost animal feed and plant fertilizers. This review identified key emerging wastes from the production line of mushroom, peanut, and soybean (MPS). These wastes (MPS) provide a new source for food conversion due to their high nutritional content, which contributes to a circular economy in the post-pandemic era and ensures food security. In order to achieve carbon neutrality and effective waste management for the production of alternative foods, biotechnological processes such as digestive, fermentative, and enzymatic conversions are essential. The article provides a narrative action on the critical potential application and challenges of MPS as future foods in the battle against hunger.