A STUDY ON THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CONSUMPTION OF COCA COLA ON THE HEALTH OF CONSUMERS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Soft drinks such as coca cola can simply be classified as carbonated drinks, still drinks and juice drinks, dilutables, fruit juices, bottled water, sports drinks and energy drinks (British Soft drinks like coca cola Association Annual Report 2018). According to the annual report of the British Soft drinks such as coca cola association (2017), the average consumption of soft drinks such as coca cola in the United Kingdom increased marginally from 2010 to 2015 by 0.2%. In 2015, 13.3 billion liters of soft drinks such as coca cola were consumed compared to 13.2 in 2010, with more than half (58%) of non-calorie (0–20 kcal per 100 ml) intake. Commercial soft drinks like coca cola first appeared in 1884 when a beverage named "Moxie" was created by the drug store owner in Lisbon Falls, USA (Tahmassebi et al. 2006). Soon thereafter, similar products emerged, including Coca-Cola® and Pepsi-Cola®. Over the last century, soft drinks such as coca cola have drastically shifted from a local pharmacy commodity to a multinational industry that earns $60 billion and generates 1 billion liters each year. These improvements were attributed to advancements in industrial technology and marketing technologies (Shenkin et al. 2003). Some soft drinks, such as coca cola, have been suggested to have a detrimental impact on people's dental and general health, including children and teenagers (Al-Majed et al. 2002; Sayegh et al. 2002; Harding et al. 2003; Luo et al. 2005; Tahmassebi et al. 2006; Cheng et al. 2009; Vartanian et al. 2011; Malik et al. 2010; Chi and Scott 2019). The high content of sugar and acids with cariogenic and acidogenic potential can lead to dental caries, tooth erosion, as well as to health effects such as overweight and obesity, and may be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Efforts have been made by producers and government bodies to reduce the possible adverse effects of sugar-containing soft drinks such as coca cola on teeth and general health. This include prohibiting the selling of soft drinks such as coca cola in schools, limiting soft drinks such as coca cola advertising, changing the composition of soft drinks such as coca cola and imposing a tax on sugar-containing soft drinks such as coca cola. The purpose of this paper is to provide information on the different types of soft drinks such as coca cola and their danger to the dental and general health of children and adolescents and the use of artificial sweeteners in soft drinks such as coca cola and to address the cost of such drinks.

Statement of the general problem

The consumption of coca coal products among Nigerians has reached an alarming height, leading to many illnesses due to the excess sugar content of such beverages. Excessive intake of these coca cola products has resulted in a rise in diabetes and other associated diseases, such as obesity, which has lowered the life expectancy of Nigerians. The rapid increase and deaths associated with these diseases among Nigerians have been a major problem facing the Nigerian population.

Aims and Objectives of the study

The main objective of the study is to investigate the adverse effects of coca cola consumption on the health of consumers in Nigeria. Other goals of the analysis are as follows;

1. To research the key components of Coca-Cola products.

2. Examine the extent of consumption of Coca-Cola among Nigerians.

3. To investigate the effect of the consumption of coca cola on the health of consumers in Nigeria.

4. To analyze the relationship between the intake of coca cola and the health of consumers.

5. Recommend ways to moderate market intake of coca cola products in Nigeria.

Research Questions

1. What are the major components of Coca-Cola products?
2. What is the level of consumption of Coca-Cola among Nigerians?
3. What are the impacts of coca cola consumption on health of consumers in Nigeria?
4. What is the relationship between coca cola consumption and the health of consumers?
5. What are the ways of moderate consumption of coca cola products among consumers in Nigeria?

Research Hypotheses

H0: There is no significant effect of consumption of coca cola on the health of consumers

H1: There is a significant effect of consumption of coca cola on the health of consumers

Hypothesis 2

H0: There is no relationship between coca cola consumption and the health of consumers.

H1: There is no relationship between coca cola consumption and the health of consumers.

Significance of the study

This study will be of immense importance in stopping the increasing health effect of coca cola consumption among the Nigerian population. The study will also help students, researchers and scholars who are interested in conducting further studies on the subject.

Scope and limitations of the study

This study is on the adverse effects of consumption of coca cola on the health of consumers in Nigeria

Limitation of the study

Financial constraint: Inadequate funds appear to hinder the researcher's efficiency in the acquisition of appropriate resources, literature or information and in the data collection method (internet, questionnaire and interview)

Time constraint: The researcher will engage with other academic work in this analysis at the same time. As a result, this would reduce the time allocated to academic work.