Consumption Patterns of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in Indonesia

Abstract

Indonesia is undergoing a nutrition transition toward processed foods and beverages, which means there should be a better understanding of the consumption patterns of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in the country. However, only a few studies have used nationally representative and longitudinal data to analyze such patterns. This study aims to fill the gap by analyzing the consumption patterns of SSBs using the last four waves of the Indonesian Family Life Survey. The results showed that the expenditure share for SSBs is comparatively small relative to other foods expenditure. In particular, the expenditure share in Java-Bali is higher than in provinces outside this region. The average age of household members, real household expenditure, household size, and household average years of schooling are correlated to SSB consumption. Therefore, policies that explicitly target factors influencing SSB-related spending are required to initiate changes in consumer preferences from SSBs to healthier foods and beverages.