Sugar-sweetened beverages consumption and BMI in Mexican adolescents: Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2006

• Published in: Salud pública de México 2009, Vol.51 Suppl 4 (suppl 4), p.S604-S612
• Main Authors: Jiménez-Aguilar, Alejandra, Flores, Mario, Shamah-Levy, Teresa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Beverages; Body Mass Index; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dietary Sucrose - administration & dosage; Drinking; Female; Health Policy & Services; Humans; Male; Mexico; Nutrition Surveys; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0036-3634; 1606-7916
• DOI: 10.1590/S0036-36342009001000015

To evaluate the association between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and body mass index (BMI) in Mexican adolescents. We analyzed the data of 10 689 adolescents (ages 10 to 19 years old) who participated in the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2006 (ENSANUT 2006). Consumption of SSBs (i.e. sodas, fruit beverages and sugar beverages) was evaluated by means of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. BMI was calculated (kg/m(2)). Mean age was 13.8 +/- 2.7 years. Fifty percent were females. Mean BMI was 21.7 +/- 4.5. Thirty percent of adolescents were overweight or obese. Ninety percent of adolescents consumed at least one SSB during the 7 days before the interview. The median consumption of SSBs was 0.89 portion per day. Multiple-linear regression analysis showed that for each portion of sodas consumed, a 0.17-point increase in BMI was observed in boys after adjusting for confounders (95% CI; 0.02-0.32, p 0.03). Positive interactions of SSB consumption with age and time watching TV were observed in boys. Consumption of sodas was positively associated with BMI in Mexican boys.