Abstract

GUTIERREZ RUVALCABA, Clara Luz et al. Consumption of sweetened beverages as a risk factor for adolescent obesity in Guadalajara, Mexico. Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. [online]. 2009, vol.66, n.6, pp.522-528. ISSN 1665-1146.

Background: We undertook this study to demonstrate that high consumption of carbonated beverages is a risk factor for obesity in adolescents 12- to 16-years of age attending a technical high school of the metropolitan Guadalajara area. Methods. We included a healthy group of 105 males and 105 females in a cross-sectional and randomized study. Body mass index (BMI), tricipital and subscapular skin folds and percentage of body fat were determined. An estimation of the daily and occasional sweetened beverage consumption, energy and nutrient intake, and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were also obtained. Parametric and nonparametric test and odd ratios (OR) (95% Cl) were estimated. Results. Females had a major percentage of body fat (P =0.001). The energy and most of the nutrient intake (P <0.01), consumption and preference for sweetened beverages (P =0.005) and frequency of obesity were higher in males (P =0.001). However, sweetened beverages were considered harmful by 90% of the adolescents. Between 17 and 25% of adolescents consumed >750 mL/day. The high consumption of sweetened beverages was a major risk factor for overweight and obesity together (OR 2.73 [1.27-5.86]) and this risk increased when obesity was analyzed alone (OR 3.37 [1.14-7.29]). Conclusions. This study demonstrated that the high consumption of sweetened beverages is a risk factor of obesity in a population of Mexican teenagers.

Keywords : obesity; overweight; adolescents; carbonated beverages.

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