by Laura Cuppini
Study of over 400,000 kids from 107 countries: 17% had extra pounds and 33% consumed “soft drinks” one or more times a day
How much do soft drinks of all kinds (excluding water) affect the physical fitness of adolescents? A lot, second an Anglo-Japanese study published in the journal Jama Network Open
. The authors, from Queen Mary University of London and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Kanagawa, analyzed the data of over 400,000 children from 107 countries (of which 65 were low/middle-income and 42 were high-income). ), concluding that the daily consumption of drinks, often rich in sugars, is strongly associated with extra kilos.
17% with extra kilos
Among participants (mean age 14 years) the incidence of overweight and obesity ranged from 3% in Cambodia to 64% in Niue (Pacific Island), and the prevalence of adolescents consuming soft drinks one or more times a day varied from 3% in Iceland to 80% in Niue. Overall, 17% of the adolescents studied were overweight or obese and 33% consumed soft drinks one or more times a day. The data analysis, explain the authors, showed a statistically significant association between the daily consumption of drinks and overweight/obesity. Among the 107 countries, 32 (14 low/middle income and 18 high income) have introduced taxes on sugary soft drinks.
Curb the trend
In recent decades, the consumption of soft drinks has increased all over the world. At the same time, overweight and obesity are increasingly prevalent in all age groups. “Understanding the association between soft drink consumption and extra pounds is important in curbing the trend, especially in low- and middle-income countries, because many beverage companies are stepping up marketing and sales promotion in those areas. » write the authors.
Reduce consumption
The conclusions of the study state that for every 10% increase in daily consumption of soft drinks, there is a 3.7% increase in the incidence of excess kilos. Beverage consumption was responsible for about 12% of the variation in the rate of overweight and obesity. A figure that confirms the results of several previous analyses. “These works strongly support that reducing soft drink consumption could play an important role in preventing overweight and obesity among adolescents worldwide,” the researchers write.
Sense of satiety
But what could be the mechanisms underlying the association between soft drinks and weight gain? One hypothesis is that the consumption of soft drinks, which usually contain high levels of added sugars, may lead to excessive energy intake, thus promoting weight gain. In addition, soft drinks can decrease the feeling of satiety.
Raising prices
The tax on drinks was introduced in about fifty countries (mostly high-income), to address the growing problems of obesity and indeed, thanks to the increased price, the daily consumption of soft drinks among adolescents has decreased. “Reducing the consumption of soft drinks should be a priority in the fight against overweight and obesity among adolescents,” the authors write. Governments, especially those in low- and middle-income countries, should impose taxes on beverages to reduce consumption. But to effectively reduce the burden of obesity on the population, other strategies are also needed, such as reducing saturated fat and calories eaten and increasing physical activity».
August 1, 2023 (change August 1, 2023 | 3:11 pm)
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