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Research: LIM and COLLEAGUES,
Listed in Issue 188
Abstract
LIM and COLLEAGUES, Bureau of Epidemiology Services, Division of Epidemiology, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, New York, USA. slim1@health.nyc.gov studied representative sample of 365 low-income African-American preschool children aged 3-5 years to determine the association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption (soda, fruit drinks, and both combined) and overweight and obesity.
Background
A representative sample of 365 low-income African-American preschool children aged 3-5 years was studied to determine the association between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption (soda, fruit drinks, and both combined) and overweight and obesity.
Methodology
Children were examined at a dental clinic in 2002-2003 and again after 2 years. Dietary information was collected using the Block Kids Food Frequency Questionnaire. A BMI score was computed from recorded height and weight. Overweight and obesity were defined by national reference age-sex specific BMI: those with an age-sex specific BMI>or=85th, but <95th percentile as overweight and those with BMI>or=95th age-sex specific percentile as obese.
Results
The prevalence of overweight was 12.9% in baseline, and increased to 18.7% after 2 years. The prevalence of obesity increased from 10.3 to 20.4% during the same period. Baseline intake of soda and all sugar-sweetened beverages were positively associated with baseline BMI z-scores. After adjusting for covariates, additional intake of fruit drinks and all sugar-sweetened beverages at baseline showed significantly higher odds of incidence of overweight over 2 years.
Conclusion
Among a longitudinal cohort of African-American preschool children, high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was significantly associated with an increased risk for obesity.
References
Lim S, Zoellner JM, Lee JM, Burt BA, Sandretto AM, Sohn W, Ismail AI, Lepkowski JM. Obesity and sugar-sweetened beverages in African-American preschool children: a longitudinal study. Obesity. 17(6): 1262-8. Jun 2009.