Abstract MP30: Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Fruit Juices, and Whole Fruits Throughout Childhood and Adolescence and Glycemic Outcomes in Late Adolescence in Project Viva

Abstract

Objective: To investigate sex-specific associations of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), 100% fruit juices, and whole fruit intake throughout childhood and adolescence with insulin resistance and glycemic outcomes in late adolescence. Methods: We used data from Project Viva, an ongoing pre-birth cohort from eastern Massachusetts. We evaluated intake of SSBs, 100% fruit juices, and whole fruit at early childhood (median age: 3.1 yrs), mid-childhood (7.6 yrs) and early teen research visits (12.9 yrs) using food frequency questionnaires. We measured fasting blood glucose, insulin and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in late adolescence (17.4 yrs). We estimated insulin resistance with the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). We computed sex-specific linear regression models to estimate associations of average consumption of SSBs, fruit juice and whole fruit across the 3 childhood-early teen visits with late adolescence HOMA-IR, fasting glucose and HbA1c adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic status, mother BMI, child BMI z-score, and parental history of type 2 diabetes in early childhood (model 1), and additionally for lifestyle habits and diet quality in early childhood (model 2). Results: A total of 240 girls and 215 boys met eligibility criteria and had an outcome measure in late adolescence. Greater SSB intake throughout childhood and adolescence was associated with higher HOMA-IR, fasting glucose, and HbA1c in boys only (Figure). Also in boys, greater fruit juice intake was associated with higher HbA1c in late adolescence. Effect estimates in girls were of small magnitude and centered to the null, except for fruit juice and HbA1c with associations in the same direction as boys (Figure). We did not observe any association with respect to whole fruits for either sex. Conclusion: Findings suggest that SSBs and fruit juice consumption throughout childhood and adolescence are associated with less favorable glycemic traits in boys, suggesting greater risk of developing diabetes.