Associations of artificially sweetened beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages, and pure fruit/vegetable juice with visceral adipose tissue mass

Abstract

ObjectiveTo test the associations of sugar-sweetened beverage, artificially sweetened beverage, and pure fruit/vegetable juice consumption with visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass at baseline and follow-up and to determine whether BMI and genetic risk of VAT mass modified the associations. MethodsA total of 203,348 participants from UK Biobank with consumption data on three beverages were included. Participants were categorized into nonconsumers and consumers with >0–1, >1–2 and >2 L/week. A sex-specific prediction model was used to calculate VAT mass. A weighted genetic risk score for high VAT mass was calculated. ResultsThe participants with a sugar-sweetened beverage and artificially sweetened beverage consumption of >2 L/week had the greatest B values [B (95% CI): 24.02 (16.53, 31.51) and 60.81 (52.08, 69.54) in men, respectively; 10.20 (5.92, 14.48) and 24.72 (20.80, 28.64) in women]. Low and moderate intake of pure fruit/vegetable juices showed a significantly inverse association with VAT mass in men [-10.52 (−15.37, −5.67); −6.46 (−11.27, −1.65)] and women [-6.70 (−8.99, −4.41); −5.93 (−8.33, −3.54)]. Regarding changes in VAT mass, participants who consumed >2 L/week of sugar-sweetened beverages and artificially sweetened beverages had greater changes. BMI but not genetic risk modified the associations between beverage intake and VAT mass, which were strengthened in participants with BMI ≥25 kg/m2 for sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverage consumption. ConclusionsHigher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages or artificially sweetened beverages was associated with greater VAT mass regardless of genetic risk. Mild-to-moderate intake of pure fruit/vegetable juices was linked to lower VAT mass.