The associations between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and cardiometabolic risks in Chinese children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND:The intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has been linked to an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases. OBJECTIVES:This study aims to examine associations between SSB intake and cardiometabolic risks among Chinese children and adolescences. METHODS:Data from 3958 participants aged 6-17 years old were obtained in Shanghai, China, from September to October 2015. A 3-day dietary record and a food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were applied to assess SSB consumption and frequency. Anthropometric and laboratory measurements were conducted to measure cardiometabolic indicators. RESULTS:After adjusting for age, sex, daily energy intake, pubertal stage, sedentary time, maternal education, and household income, SSB consumption was positively associated with serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), while it was inversely associated with systolic blood pressure (P < .05). The participants in the highest intake category (≥201.7 mL/day) of SSB consumption had 0.10 (95%CI, 0.02-0.18) mmol/L higher total cholesterol and 0.09 (95%CI, 0.03-0.16) mmol/L higher LDL-C levels than the nonconsumption group (0 mL/day). There was a quasi-U-shaped trend in LDL-C across the categories of >0 mL/day SSB consumption. SSB frequency was positively associated with BMI (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS:SSB intake was positively associated with serum cholesterol and was weakly associated with BMI in Chinese children and adolescents, independent of energy intake.