Association of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage and Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Frequency with BMI-for-Age Among Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and ultra-processed foods (UPF) is increasingly common among adolescents and may be associated with nutritional status. This study aimed to analyze the association between the frequency of SSB and UPF consumption and nutritional status based on body mass index-for-age (BMI-for-age) among adolescent girls. An analytical observational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted in July–August 2026 at SMAS Al Kautsar Bandar Lampung, involving 83 adolescent girls selected through purposive sampling. Data on SSB and UPF consumption frequency were collected using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), while nutritional status was assessed based on measured body weight and height and classified according to BMI-for-age. Data were analyzed using Fisher’s Exact Test and Pearson’s Chi-Square test at a significance level of α=0.05. Most respondents had normal nutritional status (81.9%), consumed SSB 0–2 times/week (88.0%), and consumed UPF ≥3 times/week (51.8%). No significant association was found between SSB consumption frequency (p=0.681) or UPF consumption frequency (p=0.660) and nutritional status based on BMI-for-age. In conclusion, the frequency of SSB and UPF consumption was not significantly associated with nutritional status based on BMI-for-age among adolescent girls.