Why College Students Drink Soft Drinks - Research Paper Example

Why College Drink Soft Drinks Introduction Scientists have conducted studies to investigate the effects of excessive soft drinks intake to a person. It have been reported that Sodas are the common soft drinks that many people prefer and crave for. As a refreshment drink, Individuals find it hard to avoid its temptations since it is available in many different spots around town. Its great availability in the market is also a worrying issue. College students have continuously been notorious in the consumption of these fizzy drinks regardless of the health hazard issues that have been addressed. Young people are the future of a nation and they should be educated on matters concerning health. They should be informed on a healthy living and nutrition since they hold a larger percentage of the population in the society. This information will help the educative programs offered by the government to sensitise the youth on the importance of regulating excessive soft drink intake. It will also help students to make appropriate decisions on the best alternative drinks to quench thirst, which will in turn assist in embracing a healthy lifestyle. This sensitization program is significant to the youth since it will improve eating behaviours in the community as a whole. Adapting healthy lifestyle is crucial to a person since it prevent unnecessary sicknesses and improves ones immunity. Students ought to live a health life. Maximum concentration in class is required by students without interferences of frequent sicknesses like impaired digestive system, diabetes, kidney stones and osteoporosis which might occur as a result of excessive drinking. There has been a debate as lunch time hour. Movies and video stores, fast food joints are among the common places where the sales of such drinks are readily available. Retailers target the students who come to purchase movies at their stores and are supplied in large quantities (Cochran 2003, pp.7). The Planned behaviour model has been opted for to assist in the study of this model hypothesis. It gives the experimenter an insight of the study and it is detailed in information with enables him or her make rational conclusions after the study. This theory specifically focuses on the beliefs and perception of a person in regard to getting involved in a particular action or the decision making process. There are three basic ideas that are involved with this model of study namely; a person’s attitude, norms of subjection and last but not least is the idea of control in the behaviour of a human being. A person’s attitude orientation is determined by beliefs and the overall analysis of the significance of these normative beliefs to him or her (Priest, 2001, pp.34). The perception of an individual about people that are close to he or her thinking or approval of the behaviour is referred to as the concept of subjective norms. On the other hand, the behaviour control perception reveals the ability and aptitude of individual exhibits behaviour. Our intentions and behavioural projections are predetermined by these beliefs (Cochran, 2003, pp.7). A survey carried out by Mr Cochran used this model to investigate the reason to why college students prefer sugary drinks. It was an immense success since it helped his administration take measures and ban the sale of soft drinks which have a high concentration of sugar in the market. This is evident that this study is suitable for this research. The idea of attitude can assist in determining the reasons as to why college students prefer soft drinks .TV advertisements and commercials done by prominent celebrities are huge influences to teenagers. Youngsters tend to emulate what these popular individuals do on TV commercials especially when promoting a particular soft drink brand. Students have singers as their role models and they are tempted to think that these celebrities are always right and they are aware of all the health issues involved. These mentalities lure the students to buy a brand that has specifically been showcased by their favourite celebs in the media (Van, Jan, & Mierlo 2006, pp.182). Aim Investigating the causes of soft drink intake among student is our main aim in this study. The concept of planned Behaviour model helps disclose the main reasons for these craves among students. This finding will include all students in colleges in level one to four. Method The questionnaire involved ten students, five females and five males. Both were college students of all levels. Two were from level one; four students were from level two, two from level three and the remaining two from level four. The forum was held at Multimedia College with the permission from the school administration at lunch break. The participants were chosen at random by the experimenter. Six questionnaires were issued and completed by the students. The experimenter chose any volunteer to make his or her suggestion after reading the questions out from his manual. Each volunteer was given ample time to respond and the experimenter ensured that no opinion was left out. The questionnaire was drafted based on the concept of planned behaviour. The ideas of the model were the key references of this study in the quest of the reasons for the proverbial heavy intake of soft drinks amongst students. Are you a student? Yes/No How often a week do you take soft drinks? Never Between 1-2 times a week Between 3-5 times a week Between 6-9 times a week Between 10-14 times a week More than 14 times a week How many times a day do you take soft drink? Never one Two Three Four Uncountable Do you plan to buy soft drinks often? Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree I believe regular consumption of soft drinks help me to relieve stress Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree I believe excessive consumption of TV commercial soft drink brands is not hazardous. Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree I believe fizzy drinks help in quenching thirst Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Most friends of mine take soft drinks every day. Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Most of my family members take soft drink on a daily basis Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Soft drinks are pocket friendly Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Results The results were gathered. The experimenter was able to determine the mean based on the values found. The projections were as follows: Those who strongly agreed had a projection 8, agree at 7, neutral at 3, disagree at 2 and strongly disagree at 1.These projected values were multiplied with the evaluation figures of the question, then getting the average of the participants after summing them up. Perceived control Mean=3.5 Subjective norms Mean=4.2 Attitude Mean=4.5 These results explicitly show that attitude is the main reason why college students take soft drinks. Attitude Question Mean I believe eating soft drink most days will help me relieve stress 4.35 I believe excessive consumption of TV commercial soft drink brands is not hazardous. 4.85 Fizzy drinks are the best drinks do quench thirst 4.28 Total 4.493 Generally, the students concurred that the influence of conception is the key reason to the intake of soft drinks in schools. Discussion This study aimed at finding out the main factors which influences soft drink intake by college students. Generally, this research has achieved overwhelming results in regards to the students’ attitude. These findings partly coincide with previous study that resolved to seek for the same clarities. Attitude is the basic factor and reason that leads to the heavy intake of soft drinks in learning institutions. As we all know attitude of an agent is the main pillar with influences his or her decision making process. The student fraternity confessed that popular TV commercial are the main influencer to their regular intakes (Van, Jan, & Mierlo, 2006, pp.183). They also held a standing that these drinks are the best option for quenching thirst rather than water since they have a sweet taste. A study conducted by a health nutrition body indicated that sodas make a person thirstier due to the presence of caffeine in the drink which causes a diuretic condition in a human body. The best recommendable option is water Students also believe that the drinks advertised in media are safe for consumption. A survey conducted by a health science centre in Texas reported that a bottle of soda amounts to 33% changes of a person being obese. The Heart association journal expounds on these risks by pointing out that 45% of the consumers are likely to be attacked by heart diseases (Schultz, 2009, pp.278-283). On the other hand subjective norms contribute a reasonable percentage on the influence. Students tend to follow what their fellow students do to be uniform. The results clearly outline these effects. Peer influence is a disturbing external pressure that many young people find themselves succumbed to. It has a major impact on how an individual acts and thinks. The participants agreed that their friends influence is of the utmost reason for the preference in soft drinks (Denney, Crawford, Dobbins, Hardy& Okely, 2009, pp.447). The intention of the students and their response to a particular action is not uniform. The number of times a drink was bought is evidently more than the intended times. Different external reasons can lead to increased number of soft drinks consumptions (Denney, Crawford, Dobbins, Hardy& Okely, 2009, pp.448). The challenges encountered during this research include the element of generalisation. Sample used in the course of this study were small. They were assumed to represent the entire populace of the students. Lager samples are recommendable since they display the actual findings of the study, thus facilitating appropriate decision making process. The participants of this study were exclusively college students. This research doesn’t explore on the wide range of student distribution in different levels of education. University and high school students were not represented. The participants’ age ranged from 14-19.The older students above 20 years of age were not represented. The students seemed to have similar opinion in most of the questions asked. Administering of questionnaire is a quick and simpler method of gathering data. It also save time since a response is obtained at an instant from the interviewees. It enables a broad understanding of the issue at hand since responses are varied participants. Educating students on issues related to healthy nutrition can help them regulate the soft drink consumption. The government through their educative programs can help in the implementation of these programs in institutions of higher learning. Student research works in schools should be encouraged to enable acquisition on diverse knowledge concerned with healthy living. Learning institutions should put emphasis on the effects of excessive soft drinks consumption on a human being when teaching these topics. This will help students take precautions thus cut down on this (Cullum & Harton, 2007, pp.38). Conclusion There are a variety of reasons which drives student to take soft drinks. The influence of peer pressure has taken a centre stage among the youth. There is no element of making ones choice among the youth of today’s society. They don’t want to be excluded from a group because of not doing what others do which is evidently the key reason to the heavy intake. The virtue of having an independent mind is important to individual since it saves someone on impending risk which can be avoided. According to this study there is a societal loophole in teaching the masses on essential matter of life. The government should take initiative to try and sensitize on matters pertaining to health. Health is life and no one should take it for granted Bibliography DENNEY-WILSON, ELIZABETH, CRAWFORD, DAVID, DOBBINS, TIMOTHY, HARDY, LOUISE, & OKELY, ANTHONY D. (2009). Influences on consumption of soft drinks and fast foods in adolescents. HEC Press. http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30045800. 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