Sugar-containing beverages are the leading source of added sugar consumption among young adults. The aim of this study was to explore how young adults conceptualise what influences the healthfulness of sugar-containing beverages. Seven focus groups stratified by gender and educational institute were conducted with South Australians aged 18-25 years (n = 32). Focus groups were semi-structured and included a ranking activity where participants individually ranked eight beverages from least to most healthy. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Participants commonly selected soda (soft drink) and energy drink as the least healthy beverage and water as the healthiest, but those between varied in rankings. Four themes were identified relating to how participants conceptualise beverage healthfulness in our thematic analysis: ingredients harmful to health, properties beneficial to health, functionality, and packaging. While participants were aware that beverages can contain high amounts of sugar, and that this can be harmful to health, many other factors influence the perceptions of beverage healthfulness and these can outweigh the perceived harms of consumption. Public health interventions and policies are needed to address misperceptions about the healthfulness of sugar-containing beverages to better put the harms of high sugar consumption in perspective for consumers.

中文翻译：

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什么使饮料健康？年轻人对含糖饮料健康概念的定性研究

含糖饮料是年轻人摄入添加糖的主要来源。本研究的目的是探索年轻人如何概念化影响含糖饮料健康的因素。按性别和教育机构分层的七个焦点小组对 18-25 岁的南澳大利亚人（n = 32）进行了研究。焦点小组是半结构化的，包括一项排名活动，参与者从最不健康到最健康对八种饮料进行单独排名。焦点小组被记录、逐字转录和主题分析。参与者通常选择苏打水（软饮料）和能量饮料作为最不健康的饮料，而水作为最健康的饮料，但两者之间的排名各不相同。在我们的主题分析中，确定了与参与者如何概念化饮料健康相关的四个主题：对健康有害的成分、对健康有益的特性、功能和包装。虽然参与者意识到饮料可能含有大量糖分，这可能对健康有害，但许多其他因素会影响对饮料健康的看法，这些因素可能超过消费的危害。需要采取公共卫生干预措施和政策来解决对含糖饮料健康的误解，以便更好地让消费者了解高糖消费的危害。并且这可能对健康有害，许多其他因素会影响人们对饮料健康的看法，这些因素可能超过消费的危害。需要采取公共卫生干预措施和政策来解决对含糖饮料健康的误解，以便更好地让消费者了解高糖消费的危害。并且这可能对健康有害，许多其他因素会影响人们对饮料健康的看法，这些因素可能超过消费的危害。需要采取公共卫生干预措施和政策来解决对含糖饮料健康的误解，以便更好地让消费者了解高糖消费的危害。