Sugary drinks and fruit juices are linked to increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in boys

Research highlights:

• Preliminary findings from a longitudinal study of children in Massachusetts show that, based on blood sugar markers, boys regularly drink sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juices (more than 8 ounces daily) during childhood and adolescence. They found that this may be associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But not a girl.
• Researchers also found that eating fresh fruit during childhood and adolescence was not associated with increased or decreased risk markers for type 2 diabetes.

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CHICAGO, March 19, 2024 — A small longitudinal study of nearly 500 children in Massachusetts found that regular drinking of sugar-sweetened beverages and 100% fruit juice during childhood and adolescence It was found that this may be associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in boys.According to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Heart Association, Epidemiology and Prevention│Scientific Session on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolism 2024, in Chicago from March 18th to 21st. This conference will provide the latest science on population-based health and wellness and lifestyle influences.

“Although these findings are preliminary, they support existing evidence of a potential relationship between sugar-sweetened beverages and long-term risk of type 2 diabetes in children,” said lead researcher and dietitian, R.D. said Dr. Soren Arnois Leblanc. He is a postdoctoral fellow in the Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute and the Division of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Pediatricians and other health care professionals should caution young patients and their parents about sugary drinks and fruit juices when discussing healthy eating habits.”

According to the American Heart Association in 2022 Fact sheet on sweet drinks, nearly two-thirds of children and adolescents in the United States consume at least one sugary drink, such as soda, lemonade, or energy drinks, every day. They also point out that in addition to weight gain, eating too many foods with added sugar, especially sugary drinks, increases your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay.

Using data from Project Viva, an ongoing long-term study of women and their children in eastern Massachusetts that began in 1999, researchers found that We investigated whether fresh fruit intake was associated with markers of type 2 diabetes development. Researchers calculated the average intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, 100% fruit juice, and fresh fruit from childhood to adolescence based on dietary records and analyzed three markers of type 2 diabetes (insulin resistance, hunger We evaluated the potential association with blood glucose levels (diaglycemia, blood glucose levels). HbA1c level. These markers were measured by his one blood test while fasting in late adolescence (approximately 17 years of age).

The analysis revealed the following:

• Daily consumption of sugary drinks (about 8 ounces) during childhood and adolescence in boys increased insulin resistance by 34%. Fasting blood sugar levels increase by 5.6 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). And in late adolescence, HbA1c levels increased by 0.12%.
• Drinking 100% fruit juice throughout childhood and adolescence was associated with a 0.07% increase in HbA1c levels in late adolescence per daily serving of 100% fruit juice in boys and 0.02 in girls in the study. There was only a slight increase in %.
• Harnois-Leblanc said eating fresh fruit during childhood and adolescence did not appear to have a positive or negative impact on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes among the boys and girls in the study.

The association between regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and elevated insulin resistance, fasting blood sugar, and HbA1c levels in boys persisted even when other health, family, and social factors were taken into account. These factors include socio-economic status; Body mass index of children and mothers. Age of the mother at the time of the child's birth. Maternal and paternal history of type 1 or type 2 diabetes; overall diet quality and other lifestyle behaviors.

“While boys and girls differ in some aspects of their biology and behavior, I have found that sugar-sweetened beverage and fruit juice consumption is associated with increased insulin resistance, blood sugar, and HbA1c levels in late adolescent girls. “We were also hopeful that there would be an association between the two. We were also surprised that eating the whole fruit did not reduce levels of these type 2 diabetes markers,” said Arnois-Leblanc.

“The next step is to use more advanced statistical tools to better understand the potential causal relationship between sugary drinks and fruit juices, and to understand that the relationship may vary among children by race and ethnicity as well. It's about finding out if it's there.”

Research background and details:

• Researchers analyzed data from 2,128 pregnant women who gave birth to children while participating in Project Viva. 972 of the children met the criteria for participation in this study (parents completed questionnaire at child's 3-year examination, no personal or parental medical history of child) type 1 or type 2 diabetes, assessed separately from parental history of type 2 diabetes). Of the 972 children, 455 had a fasting blood sample taken at a study visit in late adolescence, noted Arnois-Leblanc.
• Of the children who participated in the study, 240 were girls and 215 were boys.
• Project Viva is a long-term study of women and their children in eastern Massachusetts that began enrolling in 1999. This research focuses on improving maternal and child health by investigating the potential effects of various life and health factors on maternal mothers during and after pregnancy. health and the health of their children, including a review of diet and nutrition. The children were followed from birth until late adolescence, with the most recent follow-up until age 20.
• Based on questionnaires completed by parents when their children were approximately 3, 8, and 13 years old, researchers determined how often they drank sugary drinks, fruit juices, and ate fresh fruit (standard (based on portion size). We then measured fasting blood glucose, insulin, and HbA1c levels in late adolescence (mean age 17.4 years).

This study had several limitations. The study found a link between regularly drinking sugary drinks and fruit juices and the development of markers for type 2 diabetes, but the drinks were not the cause of type 2 diabetes. I couldn't prove that. Additionally, the relatively small number of study participants may have influenced the strength of the association seen between sugary drinks and fruit juices and the increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

“Diet and cardiometabolic health are complex, with many factors changing over time and interacting in different ways, and this study represents one small piece of this puzzle.” said Arnois Leblanc.

“This study shows that the higher the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, including fruit juice, throughout childhood and adolescence, the more “We showed that it was associated with an increase in diabetes markers.” Boys in late adolescence are at risk for diabetes, but girls are not. It is surprising that many measures of type 2 diabetes risk increased in boys at such an early age. ”

Chris Etherton, professor emeritus of nutritional sciences at Penn State, is also a co-author of the association's paper. 2018 Scientific Recommendations on Low-Calorie Sweetened Beverages and Cardiometabolic Health.

“Importantly, although fruit consumption does not appear to have a protective effect, it was still not associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes,” she said. “These findings suggest that we should limit or eliminate our intake of sugary beverages and replace them with whole fruits, which are rich in many nutrients, especially those that are deficient in the average American diet. (Deficit nutrients are vitamins and nutrients that are missing each day from the foods people eat.Long-term deficiencies of some vitamins and nutrients are (It is associated with negative health effects.)

medical resources called Understand diabetes with your heartwas developed by the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association to provide information on how to prevent heart disease and stroke while living with type 2 diabetes. The initiative aims to increase awareness and understanding of the link between type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, provide resources and support to help people better manage their risk of heart disease and stroke, and provide the latest clinical information. A health system that supports health professionals and improves the quality of care for people with type 2 diabetes by sharing guidelines and science.

Co-authors, their disclosures, and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

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