Beverage Consumption of College Students: Factors that Influence Their Choices

Beverage consumption is a major source of energy; intake varies depending on demographics, availability, and personal and behavioral influences (Storey, Forshee, & Anderson, 2006). To date no studies were found investigating the milk and soda consumption behavior of college students and the factors influencing their choices relative to such consumption. Based on Martin and Martin’s (2002) Developmental Adaptation Model, this study employed hierarchical regression and path mediation analyses to examine distal (family consumption) and proximal factors that influenced beverage consumption among college students. The results of this research found the three most influential factors that affect amount of milk consumption by college students are taste, family consumption, and perceived nutritional value; the most influential factors for soda consumption was taste, frequency of eating out, and perceived negative effect on dental caries.