In a comprehensive cross-sectional study spanning 107 countries and regions, Huan Hu and team found compelling evidence that soft drink consumption is linked to the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents. The findings were published in the Journal of American Medical Association.
The study utilized data from three major surveys: the Global School-Based Student Health Survey, the European Health Behavior in School-Aged Children study, and the US Youth Risk Behavior Survey. These surveys encompassed a vast cohort of 405,528 school-going adolescents, with an average age of 14.2 years, of which 48.4% were male.
The researchers investigated the frequency of soft drink consumption among the adolescents, distinguishing between those who consumed soft drinks daily and those who did not. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the same group was determined based on the World Health Organization Growth Reference Data.
The results were stark, revealing significant disparities across different countries and regions. While the prevalence of overweight and obesity ranged from 3.3% in Cambodia to a staggering 64.0% in Niue, soft drink consumption rates also varied widely. Daily consumption of soft drinks was highest in Niue, at 79.6%, and lowest in Iceland, at 3.3%.
The most crucial finding, however, was the positive correlation between the prevalence of daily soft drink consumption and the prevalence of overweight and obesity. The researchers observed a clear link between the two, indicating that the regular intake of soft drinks contributes to the weight gain experienced by many adolescents worldwide.
Upon performing a pooled analysis using individual-level data, the researchers reaffirmed the association between soft drink consumption and overweight and obesity. The odds ratio of 1.14 indicated that school-going adolescents who consumed soft drinks daily were 14% more likely to be overweight or obese than those who did not partake in daily soft drink consumption.
The implications of this study are substantial, given the escalating global rates of childhood and adolescent obesity. The findings underscore the urgent need for public health interventions to tackle this growing concern. Reducing soft drink consumption should be prioritized as a key strategy in combating adolescent obesity.
Source:
Hu, H., Song, J., MacGregor, G. A., & He, F. J. (2023). Consumption of Soft Drinks and Overweight and Obesity Among Adolescents in 107 Countries and Regions. In JAMA Network Open (Vol. 6, Issue 7, p. e2325158). American Medical Association (AMA). https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.25158