Dietary Intake of Added Sugars Is Associated with Diastolic but not Systolic Blood Pressure in Children

Abstract

The prevalence of pediatric elevated blood pressure (BP) in the US has been steadily increasing. The etiology for this phenomenon is not fully understood; however, concerns that elevated BP during childhood may translate into adult hypertension merit the evaluation of lifestyle factors that could help preserve pediatric cardiovascular health. This study explored the relationship between added sugars (sugars not naturally occurring in foods) in the diet and pediatric BP using a sample of 310 children aged 7–12 of diverse backgrounds. Diastolic and systolic BP measures were obtained by averaging eight measurements taken on two consecutive days during an in‐clinic visit. Two 24‐hour dietary recalls were conducted to assess dietary intakes. A multivariate regression was performed to evaluate the relationships between added sugars and BP, sodium and BP, and both sodium and added sugars with BP. All models were controlled for age, sex, total calories, ethnicity, physical activity, and body mass index. The relationship between added sugars and diastolic BP was significant and positive, with and without sodium in the model (p < 0.05). Sodium was marginally associated with diastolic BP (P = 0.0720). No significant association was seen between added sugars and/or sodium and systolic BP. These results suggest a physiological connection between added sugars and pediatric elevated diastolic BP that may be prevented via diet.