Consumption Of Sweet Drinks Research Articles

High levels of sweet drink consumption in an Australian population of children and adolescents; however some evidence of small decreases over time

High levels of sweet drink consumption in an Australian population of children and adolescents; however some evidence of small decreases over time

Contemporary fluid intake and dental caries in Australian children

In Australia, caries experience of 6-year-old and 12-year-old children has increased since the mid to late 1990s. Previously, caries rates had declined, attributable to community water fluoridation. The recent caries increase has been attributed speculatively to changes in fluid intake, including increased consumption of sweet drinks and bottled waters. Increasing urbanization and globalization have altered children's diets worldwide, promoting availability and access to processed foods and sweet drinks. Studies in Australia and internationally have demonstrated significant associations between sweet drink intake and caries experience. Despite widespread fluoride availability in contemporary Australian society, the relationship between sugar consumption and caries development continues and restricting sugar intake remains key to caries prevention. Caries risk assessment should be included in treatment planning for all children; parents should be advised of their child's risk level and given information on oral health promotion. Readily-implemented caries risk assessment tools applicable to parents and clinicians are now available. Public health information should increase awareness that consuming sweet drinks can have deleterious effects on the dentition as well as the potential for promoting systemic disease. Restricting sales of sweet drinks and sweet foods and providing healthy food and drinks for purchase in schools is paramount.

Associations between familial affluence and obesity risk behaviours among children

Results of studies examining associations between socioeconomic status and obesity among children are mixed. To examine whether physical activity, television viewing, computer use, and fruit, vegetable, soft drink and sweet consumption differed according to familial affluence of children attending schools in disadvantaged communities. A total of 218 children (seven to 11 years of age) recruited from three Calgary (Alberta) schools located in two adjacent socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods completed online surveys during the spring of 2005/2006. The number of days per week participating in vigorous physical activity for more than 20 min, and weekly frequency of fruit, vegetable, sweet and soft drink consumption were collected. Time spent watching television and using a computer during a normal school day was also captured. A family affluence scale was used to assess socioeconomic status (number of family holidays in the past year, ownership of motor vehicles and computers, and bedroom sharing). Associations between familial affluence and obesity risk behaviours were estimated using Pearson's correlation and demographic-adjusted logistic regression ORs. Higher family affluence scale scores were significantly associated with weekly fruit consumption (r=0.14). Children with lower affluence were less likely to participate in vigorous physical activity five days/week or more (OR=0.39), and to use a computer for more than 2 h/day (OR=0.41) than children with higher affluence. Linear trends between familial affluence and the likelihood of participating in physical activity and using a computer were also found. However, no other behaviours were related to affluence. Increasing opportunities for physical activity and accessibility to healthy food may be important for reducing obesity risk among less affluent children.

Sugar-sweetened Beverages and Hypertension

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has been associated with the development and maintenance of obesity, as well as the risk for multiple obesity-related comorbidities. Some experts have hypothesized that the effect is entirely associated with excess caloric intake, while others suggest that a component of sweeteners may have a physiologic impact on the development of hypertension, insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Chen et al. have presented the first, large-scale clinical trial, assessing the direct effect of modest changes in sweetened drink consumption on blood pressure in a racially diverse population. The study team utilized data from the PREMIER: Lifestyle Interventions for Blood Pressure Control trial, in which 810 adult subjects were randomized to three groups: advice only; comprehensive lifestyle modification aimed at weight loss, increased exercise and dietary sodium reduction; or comprehensive lifestyle modification with incorporation of the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Sweetened drink intake was estimated from 24-h subject recall, assessed by unscheduled phone calls to subjects at baseline, 6 months and 18 months. Over the duration of the study, a reduction of one 12-oz serving of sugar-sweetened beverages per day was associated with an average of 1.8 mmHg reduction in systolic blood pressure and an average of 1.1 mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure.

Oral health and the impact of socio-behavioural factors in a cross sectional survey of 12-year old school children in Laos

BackgroundIn recent decades low-income countries experienced an increasing trend in dental caries among children, particularly recorded in 12-year olds, which is the principal WHO indicator age group for children. This increases the risks of negative affects on children's life. Some data exist on the oral health status of children in low-income countries of Southeast Asia. However, information on how oral health is associated with socio-behavioural factors is almost not available. The aims of this study were to: assess the level of oral health of Lao 12-year-olds in urban and semi-urban settings; study the impact of poor oral health on quality of life; analyse the association between oral health and socio-behavioural factors; investigate the relation between obesity and oral health.MethodsA cross sectional study of 12-year old schoolchildren chosen by multistage random sampling in Vientiane, Lao P.D.R (hereafter Laos). The final study population comprised 621 children. The study consisted of: clinical registration of caries and periodontal status, and scores for dental trauma according to WHO; structured questionnaire; measurement of anthropometric data. Frequency distributions for bi-variate analysis and logistic regression for multivariate analysis were used for assessment of statistical association between variables.ResultsMean DMFT was 1.8 (SEM = 0.09) while caries prevalence was 56% (CI95 = 52-60). Prevalence of gingival bleeding was 99% (CI95 = 98-100) with 47% (CI95 = 45-49) of present teeth affected. Trauma was observed in 7% (CI95 = 5-9) of the children. High decay was seen in children with dental visits and frequent consumption of sweet drinks. Missed school classes, tooth ache and several impairments of daily life activities were associated with a high dD-component. No associations were found between Body Mass Index (BMI) and oral health or common risk factors. The multivariate analyses revealed high risk for caries for children with low or moderate attitude towards health, a history of dental visits and a preference for drinking sugary drinks during school hours. Low risk was found for children with good or average perception of own oral health. High risk for gingival bleeding was seen in semi-urban children and boys.ConclusionAlthough the caries level is low it causes considerable negative impact on daily life. School based health promotion should be implemented focussing on skills based learning and attitudes towards health.

CONSUMPTION OF SOFT DRINKS AND OTHER SWEET DRINKS BY WIC INFANTS

The Journal has published numerous articles on consumption of soft drinks and other sweet drinks by children,1–4 but none of these articles has reported on infants. Papers published elsewhere on complementary feeding of infants have seldom considered these beverages. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Infant Feeding Practices Study,5,6 a nationally representative 1-year longitudinal study carried out in the mid-1990s, found high levels of consumption of these beverages by infants. In the first month of life, 14% of infants received sweet drinks (i.e., sugar water, fruit-flavored drinks, sodas, tea, and coffee), and by the age of 4 months, nearly one third of infants received these drinks. This practice was most common among Hispanic infants—one fourth of whom were given sweet drinks in the first month and almost one half of whom were given sweet drinks in the first 4 months. Many Hispanic mothers reported giving their infants “manzanilla” tea in hopes of preventing or treating colic. Many infants also received fruit juice earlier than the recommended age of 6 months7—5% in the first month and almost half by the age of 4 months. There was little variation among White, African American, and Hispanic mothers. At the time the study was conducted, the WIC program recommended giving fruit juice only when the infant could drink from a cup, after about 4 months of age8; fruit juice has recently been removed from the WIC food package for infants younger than 4 months. The 2002 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study9 documented that infants of all ages who were enrolled in WIC were much more likely than were nonparticipants to receive fruit juice. Consumption of sodas and other sweet drinks was not reported. A recent meta-analysis1 reported that soft drink intake among children and adults was associated with higher energy intake and body weight, lower intake of milk and calcium, and increased risks of several medical problems, particularly diabetes. Thus, the dramatic increase in soft drink consumption in children10 (which is likely to be mirrored in infants) is of great concern. Although health care workers are likely to talk with mothers about inappropriate feeding of juice to young infants, our study indicates that they should also advise against soft drinks and other sweet drinks for infants of any age.

Eating fast food: attitudes of high‐school students

AbstractAlarmingly consistent recent research shows that industrially produced foods such as fast food contain compounds that add to obesity and high cholesterol among young people. Less physical activity and a higher propensity to eat ready‐made food (in Sweden and internationally) have aggravated the health situation for the young generation. They also have become ‘addicted’ to sugar by the consumption of lemonade and other sweet drinks that are often served in conjunction with fast food. Food consumption patterns are highly cultural, and, once formed in early years, they become difficult to change. The findings of this study, which was based on a small sample of written accounts and transcribed interviews, indicate that high‐school students in Sweden are well aware of the good and bad attributes of fast food, such as: speed, convenience, fat and sugar. Clear differences in attitude were found between male and female students: female students view fast food in a broad food chain context, whereas male students concentrate on fast eating and satiety.

Parental risk attitudes and caries‐related behaviours among immigrant and western native children in Oslo

Immigrant children make up a large proportion of the school populations in many western cities. It is likely that their parents have different attitudes and knowledge of dental health than resident populations, and thus provide a challenge to public dental services. This study sought to map existing disparities in oral health among immigrant and western native children in Oslo and to identify differences in parental, cultural and ethnic beliefs and attitudes towards oral health and caries-related behaviours. Caries was recorded of 735 children (3- and 5-year olds), supplemented with radiographs among 5-year olds. Their parents responded to a questionnaire. Immigrant background, consumption of sweet drinks at bed and social status were the dominant caries risk indicators among the 3-year olds. Among the 5-year olds, the caries risk indicators were immigrant background, parental indulgence, attitude to diet, attitude to oral hygiene, social status and age starting toothbrushing. Being an immigrant was closely associated with higher caries prevalence and experience. Parental attitudes to oral hygiene, diet and indulgence, and caries-related behaviours distinguished immigrants from western natives. The results suggest that immigrant groups in western societies require different information packages, modified strategies for forming oral hygiene habits and attitudes related to dental care of children, and encouragement to exercise discipline on factors known to be risks for oral health. These strategies must recognize that immigrants and western natives attach different levels of importance to oral health and dental parameters. It should be paid extra attention to some caries high-risk subgroups.

Overweight Among Low-Income Preschool Children Associated With Consumption of Sweet Drinks: Missouri, 1999???2002

Overweight Among Low-Income Preschool Children Associated With Consumption of Sweet Drinks: Missouri, 1999???2002

Overweight Among Low-Income Preschool Children Associated With the Consumption of Sweet Drinks: Missouri, 1999–2002

To examine the association between sweet drink consumption and overweight among preschool children. A retrospective cohort design was used to examine the association between sweet drink consumption and overweight at follow-up among 10904 children who were aged 2 and 3 years and had height, weight, and Harvard Service Food Frequency Questionnaire data collected between January 1999 and December 2001 and height and weight data collected 1 year later. Sweet drinks included vitamin C-containing juices, other juices, fruit drinks, and sodas as listed on the Harvard Service Food Frequency Questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to adjust for age; gender; race/ethnicity; birth weight; and intake of high-fat foods, sweet foods, and total calories. Results were stratified by baseline BMI. Among children who were normal or underweight at baseline (BMI <85th percentile), the association between sweet drink consumption and development of overweight was positive but not statistically significant. Children who were at risk for overweight at baseline (BMI 85th-<95th percentile) and consumed 1 to <2 drinks/day, 2 to <3 drinks/day, and > or =3 drinks/day were, respectively, 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-3.2), 2.0 (95% CI: 1.2-3.2), and 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1-2.8) times as likely to become overweight as the referent (<1 drink/day). Children who were overweight at baseline (BMI > or =95th percentile) and consumed 1 to <2 drinks/day, 2 to <3 drinks/day, and > or =3 drinks/day were, respectively, 2.1, 2.2, and 1.8 times as likely to remain overweight as the referent. Reducing sweet drink consumption might be 1 strategy to manage the weight of preschool children. Additional studies are needed to understand the mechanism by which such consumption contributes to overweight.

Risk/Prevention Indicators for the Prevalence of Dental Caries in Schoolchildren: Results from the Italian OHSAR Survey

The Italian Oral Health of Schoolchildren of the Abruzzo Region (OHSAR) Survey was designed to assess indicators associated with the prevalence of caries in both the primary and permanent dentitions in the same schoolchildren, and it comprised a representative sample of 5,938 7-, 9- and 11-year-old schoolchildren from three provinces within the region of Abruzzo, Italy, a low fluoride concentration area. Gender, age, geographic location, socioeconomic level, dietary and oral hygiene habits, and the use of F supplements were all considered as indicators. The subsequent multivariate analyses showed that the socioeconomic level, snack consumption frequency, consumption of sweets and the use of F supplements were mostly associated with caries prevalence in both dentitions. Other indicators, such as gender, age, geographic location, between-meal snack consumption frequency, consumption of sweet drinks, toothbrushing frequency and onset of regular toothbrushing habits also showed some significant associations with dental caries across the age groups and/or dentitions. Of interest, the consumption of commercial bottled mineral water was also seen to be a preventive indicator for dental caries of the primary dentition, particularly in the 7-year-old group. The consumption of sweet snacks, use of interdental floss and kind of toothbrush mainly used (manual or electric) did not show any relevant association with the outcomes. The strong effect of the geographic location, socioeconomical level and the preventive effects of commercial bottled mineral water are worth further investigation.

Nutritional and Energetic Consequences of Sweetened Drink Consumption in 6- to 13-Year-Old Children

Editor(s): Lipman, Terri H. PhD, CRNP, FAAN; Tiedje, Linda Beth PhD, RN, FAAN Author Information

Nutritional and energetic consequences of sweetened drink consumption in 6- to 13-year-old children

Objective To study the effects of excessive sweetened drink consumption on daily energy balance and nutrient intake in a longitudinal study of children. Subjects and methods Daily dietary intakes of 30 children aged 6 to 13 years old were collected over 4 to 8 weeks. Weights and heights of children were measured at the beginning and end of the study in 21 children. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) (PROC MIXED in SAS) and multiple regression. Results Excessive sweetened drink consumption (>12 oz/day) displaced milk from children's diets (122-147 g/day less milk drank, P < .0001) because caregivers served less milk and the children consumed smaller amounts of milk. The consequences were lower daily protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin A intakes. Because children failed to reduce consumption of solid foods to compensate for the caloric contribution of sweetened drinks, higher daily energy intakes were observed. Consequently, the greater the sweetened drink consumption the greater the weight gain (1.12 ± 0.7 kg) compared with children who consumed <12 oz per day (0.32-0.48 ± 0.4 kg). Conclusions Excessive sweetened drink consumption is associated with the displacement of milk from children's diets, higher daily energy intake, and greater weight gain. (J Pediatr 2003;142:604-10)

Childhood Overweight

Childhood overweight is a significant and growing health problem in the US and other parts of the world. Secular trend data in the US suggest that children have become substantially heavier over the last several decades and that their risk for a number of health problems is increasing as a result. Defining obesity in children has been difficult as assessing body fat is expensive and impractical. Body mass index (BMI), derived from weight and height, is used as a surrogate indicator in adults. In children, the consensus is to use BMI percentiles statistically derived from a reference population. There is evidence that the prenatal, early childhood, and adolescent periods are critical in the development of obesity but the mechanisms involved are yet to be elucidated. The recent rapid increase in childhood overweight and obesity is attributed to the modern obesogenic environment. Changes in dietary constituents including higher derivation of energy from nutritionally poor and energy dense foods, increased sweetened drink consumption, larger portion sizes, and more frequent intake of food outside the home have been associated with poorer diets and higher weights. Further, physical activity has reduced with decreases in school physical education classes and organized sports, fewer opportunities to expend energy for daily living activity due to more mechanization, lower frequency of walking and biking, and greater use of sedentary activities for leisure. Television watching remains the most common activity for children. There are significant health outcomes associated with childhood obesity, including the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, and greater prevalence of various medical problems including insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, the metabolic syndrome, orthopedic problems, and pseudotumor cerebri. Of further concern is the increased risk for obesity in adulthood with its attendant co-morbidities. Interventions are imperative but not widely studied. The most effective interventions include comprehensive behavioral management, dietary modification, and exercise. Family-based interventions have been most successful at maintaining long-term weight loss. School-based interventions have the potential to significantly impact childhood overweight as large numbers of children can be reached. However, such programs require long-term follow-up and are expensive. Very low calorie diets, pharmacotherapy, and surgery remain experimental options for children. More recently, metformin has shown promise in promoting weight loss and improving insulin sensitivity among adolescents. Combining multiple approaches for treatment, addressing obesity-promoting sociocultural practices and policies, and focusing on prevention strategies will be necessary to address this epidemic.

The Influence of Sweetened Drink Consumption on the Likelihood of Meeting the Recommended Dietary Allowance for Vitamins and Minerals

Per capita consumption of regular (sugared) soft drinks increased 86% between 1970 and 1997. It has been suggested that they may pose health risks if they replace more nutrient‐dense foods and beverages. The probability of meeting the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) threshold for vitamins and minerals is modeled as a function of individual characteristics including the proportion of food energy received from sweetened drinks. For all vitamins and minerals studied, an increase in consumption of food energy from sugared drinks was significantly associated with a reduced probability of meeting the RDA. Results suggest a tendency to substitute sugared drinks for more nutrient‐dense foods and beverages, leading to an overall reduction in micronutrients.

Schoolchildren's diets and participation in school feeding programmes in Jamaica.

To describe food consumption during the school day of rural Jamaican children and participation in two government school feeding programmes. To determine factors which were related to these. Cross sectional. 16 primary schools in rural Jamaica. 415 children in grades 2 and 5 (ages 7 and 10 years). Consumption of sweets, sweet drinks and snacks was high. Mean intakes at lunch were: energy 1537 kJ (SD 756), protein 10.4 g (SD 7.6) and iron 1.5 mg (SD 1.2). The mean energy intake was 17-20% of the daily requirement for this age group. Two types of school feeding programmes were available in the schools, one provided a cooked meal and the other a bun and milk. Median availability of school meals (as a percentage of children enrolled in the schools) over three terms was 24.6% (range 0-85.4%). Twenty per cent of the children participated in one or other programme. Poorer children were more likely to participate in the bun and milk programme (odds ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.3-3.5) but children with more money to purchase food participated in the more costly cooked meal programme (odds ratio 2.4, 95% CI 1.3-4.6). Energy intakes at lunch in Jamaican children were somewhat below optimal levels and the reliance on sweets and snacks is an area of concern. Programme characteristics such as meal cost, may affect access to school feeding by poor children.

Caries experience in the primary dentition of Tanzanian and Finnish 3–7‐year‐old children

Caries experience of primary teeth in relation to age, sex, ethnic group, socioeconomic status and frequency of consuming sweet snacks and drinks was studied among groups of Tanzanian and Finnish 3-7-yr-olds, a total of 1118 children. In all age groups the Tanzanian children had higher mean dmft scores than Finnish children did. In the Finnish group the mean dmft score was higher at age 7 than at age 3, while in the Tanzanian group no statistically significant difference in dmft scores was found between age groups. In both groups maxillary incisors and molars were the main teeth affected by caries. Frequent consumption of sweet snacks and drinks increased the risk for caries in Tanzanian but not in Finnish children. High socioeconomic status decreased the risk for caries in Finnish children but among Tanzanian children high SES was not associated significantly with the risk of developing caries. According to these results, caries experience in Tanzanian urban nursery school children was significantly higher than in Finnish children of the same age, the differences being especially high among the youngest age groups.

Effects of consumption of caloric vs noncaloric sweet drinks on indices of hunger and food consumption in normal adults

This study examined the effects of aspartame, saccharin, and sucrose on hunger and food intake. Twenty normal adults consumed a standard breakfast followed 3 h later by 200 mL of either water or a sweetened drink. One hour later, subjects' ad libitum consumption of a standardized lunch was measured. Subjects recorded self-assessments of hunger-related indices every half hour on visual analogue scales (VAS). ANOVA with repeated measures showed a significant effect of drink type on VAS scores 15 and 45 min after drinks were consumed but not for other times or for lunch consumption. Hunger-related ratings after drink consumption were generally highest for water, lower for noncaloric sweeteners (NCSs), and lowest for sugar. Pairwise comparisons of means showed that only the ratings for sugar and water were significantly different. The results show that, under the conditions of this study, NCSs do not increase hunger or food intake.