Prevalence and factors associated with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among adolescents and women aged 10-49 years in Kenya.

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are major sources of free sugars in diet and have been linked to obesity, chronic diseases, and increased risk of premature deaths. Evidence suggests that the health impacts of SSBs may be greater among females than males; however, there is limited evidence on SSB consumption among women, especially in low-and middle-income countries. Therefore, we aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with SSB consumption among women aged 10-49 years in Kenya using secondary data from the first and second rounds of Kenya's Performance Monitoring for Action (PMA) nutrition surveys. We stratified the analysis by residence (rural vs. urban), and used univariable and multivariable logistic regression to assess the determinants of SSB consumption. The prevalence of SSB consumption among women was 52.4% (95% CI 47.9, 56.8). The prevalence of SSB consumption was higher in urban than rural areas (53.2% vs. 51.7%) and was high among women aged 20-29 years (54.1%), women in union (52.9%), women with tertiary level of education (59.1%), and women from the richest households (52.4%). Urban women had 1.29 times higher odds of SSB consumption compared to rural women. Moreover, education level was significantly associated with SSB consumption, with higher education linked to increased odds of consumption. Overall, more than half of women aged 10-49 years reported consuming SSBs. These findings underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to reduce SSB consumption, especially among urban residents and individuals with higher socioeconomic status.