Who drinks soda pop? Economic status and adult consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages

Sugar-sweetened beverage intakes among adults between 1990 and 2018 in 185 countries

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are associated with cardiometabolic diseases and social inequities. For most nations, recent estimates and trends of intake are not available; nor variation by education or urbanicity. We investigated SSB intakes among adults between 1990 and 2018 in 185 countries, stratified subnationally by age, sex, education, and rural/urban residence, using data from the Global Dietary Database. In 2018, mean global SSB intake was 2.7 (8 oz = 248 grams) servings/week (95% UI 2.5-2.9) (range: 0.7 (0.5-1.1) in South Asia to 7.8 (7.1-8.6) in Latin America/Caribbean). Intakes were higher in male vs. female, younger vs. older, more vs. less educated, and urban vs. rural adults. Variations by education and urbanicity were largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Between 1990 and 2018, SSB intakes increased by +0.37 (+0.29, +0.47), with the largest increase in Sub-Saharan Africa. These findings inform intervention, surveillance, and policy actions worldwide, highlighting the growing problem of SSBs for public health in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and socioeconomic status: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are an independent risk factor for obesity and other non-communicable diseases. Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the key drivers for the purchase and consumption of SSBs among children and adults; however, there is a lack of strong evidence. This study aims to determine the association between SES and consumption patterns of SSBs across populations.

RESULTS

The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, LILACS, Web of Science, Cochrane, and CINHAL databases were searched for relevant articles until 2022. Participants included children, adolescents, and adults who consumed different SSBs and were assessed based on their SES. The random-effects model was used to obtain the pooled odds ratio (OR). Twenty-one studies (152,070 participants) met the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa tool, with the majority of the studies indicating medium to high quality. Eight ORs from four studies (34,454 participants) were considered for meta-analysis. Results showed those belonging to high SES had 48% lower odds of consuming the SSBs (OR 0.52; 95% CI: 0.42-0.61; p  =  0.017). The overall quality of evidence was ascertained using GRADE criteria, illustrating a moderate certainty of evidence between SSB consumption and SES.

CONCLUSION

Meta-analysis suggests that SES influences the consumption pattern of SSBs, with high SES having lower odds of SSB consumption.

The Impact of Social Well-Being on Population Diet Nutritional Value and Antiradical Status

The paper presents the result of assessing the antiradical status of consumers (in the context of Russia) in connection with their well-being. This approach is based on a multistage study, in which the results of sociological surveys were applied, as well as estimates of the antiradical potential (ARP) of diets obtained using neural networks, bootstrapping the chemical composition of diets, and calculating reference values using mathematical models. The paper presents data collected from residents living in the territories of at least 21 regions and cities of Russia: Magadan, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Krasnodar, Lipetsk, Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Voronezh, etc. A total of 1001 people were interviewed, which, according to our calculations, gives a margin of error in value of approximately 3.1%. To calculate the lack of vitamins in the diets of residents of the Russian Federation, data on the chemical composition of food products from the FNDDS database were used. The assessment of dietary habits showed a lack of vitamins below the recommended level in 73% of Russians for vitamin D, 59% for retinol, 38% for β-carotenes, 13% for vitamin E, and 6% for ascorbic acid. The study showed that at least 36% of the Russian population has a low antiradical status, while it was found that "poor" consumers are more likely to consume economically more expensive foods (in terms of their nutritional value). The "poor" segments of the population consume 180-305% more canned food and 38-68% more sweet carbonated drinks than other social groups, but their consumption of vegetables is 23-48% lower. On the contrary, "wealthy" consumers consume 17-25% more complex (varied) dishes, 10-68% more fresh vegetables, and 8-39% more fish. From the obtained values it follows that consumers with low levels of ARP in their diets are in a group with an increased probability of a number of "excess" diseases (diseases of the cardiovascular system, obesity, etc.). In general, the ARP values of food consumed for low-income segments of the population were 2.3 times lower (the ratio was calculated as the percentage of consumers below the level of 11,067 equivalents necessary for the disposal of free radicals generated in the human body per day) than for those who can afford expensive food (consumers with high income). A simple increase in consumption of unbalanced foods, in our opinion, will only contribute to the entry of these consumers into the "average diet trap". All this makes it imperative to develop comprehensive measures to create a new concept of public catering; otherwise, we can expect a reduction in both the health of the population and the performance of the economy of the whole country.

A Worksite Health Promoting Program for Early Head Start and Head Start Workforce

INTRODUCTION

Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start (HS) staff comprise a large segment of the public sector workforce and experience numerous risk and chronic factors for medical conditions or symptoms. Few health and wellness workplace interventions, however, specifically focus on EHS/HS staff.

METHODS

A train-the-trainer (TTT) approach was used to build capacity among directors and staff from 57 EHS/HS programs on how to strategically plan and implement a health promoting worksite program focusing on improving nutrition and physical activity practices among EHS/HS staff. Baseline and 3-month post-training questionnaires assessed EHS/HS staff changes on knowledge and practices related to nutrition and physical activity. Paired t-tests or chi2 statistics assessed changes in questionnaire responses over time.

RESULTS

1,363 staff from 57 programs completed baseline and follow-up surveys. Staff had high knowledge regarding healthful dietary patterns at baseline. Over one-third of staff reported drinking soda with meals and almost 50% identified soda as their most common drink. Roughly one-third of staff also reported no physical activity in the prior week at baseline. Staff demonstrated significant improvements in dietary, nutrition, and physical activity practices. Staff also improved grocery shopping behaviors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The TTT approach to disseminate an EHS/HS staff-focused health promotion program, "Eat Healthy, Stay Active!' provides a potentially promising strategy to build upon and disseminate more broadly to reach the over >300,000 EHS/HS staff workforce.

Exploring the Relationship between Sugar and Sugar Substitutes-Analysis of Income Level and Beverage Consumption Market Pattern Based on the Perspective of Healthy China

This paper estimates the impact of income level on household beverage consumption, analyzes the consumption trends of sugar-sweetened beverages and sugar-free beverages in households, explores the future changes in the beverage consumption market pattern, and predicts the possible impact of the sugar industry on the development of sugar substitutes based on the beverage consumption data of Kantar Consumer Index in China from 2015 to 2017. The research results show that, firstly, there is an "inverted U-shaped" relationship between income level and household consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, which indicates that as income rises, household consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages tends to increase and then decrease. Secondly, income level has a positive effect on the household consumption of sugar-free beverages. Finally, in the future stage, with the further growth of income and the promotion of a healthy China, a large amount of sugar substitutes will be added to beverages instead of the original sugar, and the relationship between sugar and sugar substitute consumption will change from complementary to substitution. The findings of this paper have implications for encouraging food and beverage suppliers to produce "healthy", "nutritious" and "innovative" low-sugar products to meet the health needs of residents and ensure the healthy and orderly development of the sugar industry.

Pandemic-related financial hardship and disparities in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and purchasing among San Francisco Bay Area residents during COVID-19

Some reports suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in shifts to unhealthier diets. These unhealthier diets may include sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), which strongly contribute to diabetes and other chronic diseases. Using cross-sectional surveys in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA we sought to assess self-reported SSB consumption during the pandemic's shelter-in-place and self-reported changes in SSB purchasing from before to during the pandemic's shelter-in-place, stratifying by indices of pandemic-related financial hardship. Nearly 60% of our diverse sample (N = 943) reported that it was harder to pay for basics (like food and utilities) during shelter-in-place. Among those who found it harder to pay for basics and received financial assistance during shelter-in-place, we found a ten-fold higher frequency of daily SSB consumption compared to those not facing new financial hardship (2.76 [95% CI: 1.78, 3.74] versus 0.30 [95% CI: 0.23, 0.37] times/day). There were no statistically significant increases in reported purchasing of any SSB, but those with new financial hardship during shelter-in-place reported greater purchasing of regular soda relative to those with no new hardship (0.20 on a 3-point scale [95% CI: 0.03, 0.37]). Our findings suggest that new hardship may increase unhealthy behaviors and worsen existing disparities in SSB consumption. Such disparities are a reminder of the urgent need to reduce economic inequity and improve the quality of our emergency food system in order to mitigate the impact of public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Molecular aspects of fructose metabolism and metabolic disease

Excessive sugar consumption is increasingly considered as a contributor to the emerging epidemics of obesity and the associated cardiometabolic disease. Sugar is added to the diet in the form of sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup, both of which comprise nearly equal amounts of glucose and fructose. The unique aspects of fructose metabolism and properties of fructose-derived metabolites allow for fructose to serve as a physiological signal of normal dietary sugar consumption. However, when fructose is consumed in excess, these unique properties may contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disease. Here, we review the biochemistry, genetics, and physiology of fructose metabolism and consider mechanisms by which excessive fructose consumption may contribute to metabolic disease. Lastly, we consider new therapeutic options for the treatment of metabolic disease based upon this knowledge.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Reduction Policies: Progress and Promise

Evidence showing the effectiveness of policies to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is growing. SSBs are one of the largest sources of added sugar in the diet and are linked to multiple adverse health conditions. This review presents a framework illustrating the various types of policies that have been used to reduce SSB exposure and consumption; policies are organized into four categories (financial, information, defaults, and availability) and take into consideration crosscutting policy considerations (feasibility, impact, and equity). Next, for each category, we describe a specific example and provide evidence of impact. Finally, we discuss crosscutting policy considerations, the challenge of choosing among the various policy options, and important areas for future research. Notably, no single policy will reduce SSB consumption to healthy levels, so an integrated policy approach that adapts to changing market and consumption trends; evolving social, political, and public health needs; and emerging science is critical.

Effects of Vanadium Inhalation and Sweetened Beverage Ingestion in Mice: Morphological and Biochemical Changes in the Liver

The aim of this report was to evaluate the morphological and biochemical changes in the liver by the inhalation of vanadium and consumption of sweetened beverages in a subchronic murine model. Forty CD-1 male mice were randomly divided into four groups: control, vanadium (V), sucrose 30% (S), and vanadium-sucrose (V + S). V was inhaled (1.4 mg/m³) for 1h, twice/week; 30% sucrose solution was given orally ad libitum. Blood samples were obtained for AST, ALT, and LDH determination. Liver samples were processed for histological and oxidative stress immunohistochemical evaluation with 4-hydroxynonenal at weeks 4 and 8 of exposure. Regarding liver function tests, a statistically significant increase (P < 0.05) was observed in groups V, S, and V + S at weeks 4 and 8 compared to the control group. A greater number of hepatocytes with meganuclei and binuclei were observed in V and V + S at week 8 compared to the other groups. Steatosis and regenerative changes were more extensive in the eighth week V + S group. 4-Hydroxynonenal immunoreactivity increased in the V + S group at both exposure times compared to the other groups; however, the increment was more evident in the V + S group at week 4 compared to the V + S group at week 8. An increase in De Ritis ratio (>1) was noticed in experimental groups at weeks 4 and 8. Findings demonstrate that in the liver, V, S, and V + S induced oxidative stress and regenerative changes that increased with the length of exposure. Results support possible potentiation of liver damage in areas with high air pollution and high-sweetened beverage consumption.

Assessment of the Frequency of Sweetened Beverages Consumption among Adults in Poland

Background: in the context of the ongoing obesity epidemic and increase in cases of metabolic disorders among the population, it is significant, from the health, nutritional, and economic point of view, to a look at the habits of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption of adults in Poland. This study aims to determine the sweetened beverages, which are the most popular and most frequently consumed by Polish consumers in correlation with sex, age, income, and education of the studied group of adults. Methods: The survey study was based on the Computer-Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) and was conducted on a representative sample of 500 adult Poles, within the period from May to June 2020. The fundamental stage of the survey included the question, which asked the respondents to assess the frequency of consuming selected eleven sweetened or unsweetened beverages. Socio-economic characteristics of the respondents were considered when evaluating whether these factors aligned with the behaviors regarding the frequency of beverage consumption. Results: The consumption of SSBs tends to decrease along with consumer's age. A decrease, which could be associated with level of consumers' education level and correlation with income could not be verified. Adults drink sugar sweetened beverages less often than younger consumers, and women drink them less often than men. Conclusions: Identification of the frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage intake can indicate directions for further national or regional action against the spread of obesity. Moreover, attention should be drawn to young males who consume beverages abundant in high sugar most often.

Pterostilbene influences glycemia and lipidemia and enhances antioxidant status in the liver of rats that consumed sucrose solution

AIMS

The present study investigated the potential effects of pterostilbene (PT) on glycemic and lipid profiles, fat storage, cardiovascular indices, and hepatic parameters of rats fed with sucrose solution.

MAIN METHODS

24 male Wistar rats received either drinking water or a 40% sucrose solution over a period of 140 days. After this period, animals were randomly allocated into four groups (n = 6): Control (C), C + Pterostilbene (PT), Sucrose (S), and S + PT. Pterostilbene (40 mg/kg) was given orally for 45 consecutive days.

KEY FINDINGS

Pterostilbene did not influence morphometric and nutritional parameters. The insulin sensitivity index TyG was elevated in the C + PT group (p < 0.01) and reduced in S + PT group (p < 0.05). Basal glucose levels were lower in the S + PT group (p < 0.05), and the glycemic response was improved with PT treatment in glucose provocative tests. Conversely, rats from the C + PT group showed impaired glucose disposal during those tests. Lipid profile was partially improved by PT treatment. Hepatic oxidative stress in the S group was improved after PT treatment. In the C group, PT reduced SOD activity, glutathione levels, and increased catalase activity. Collagen content was reduced by PT treatment.

SIGNIFICANCE

PT effects depends on the type of diet the animals were submitted. In rats fed with sucrose-solution, PT confirmed its positive effects, improving glucose and lipid profile, and acting as a potent antioxidant. The effects of PT on rats that consumed a normal diet were very discrete or even undesirable. We suggest caution with indiscriminate consume of natural compounds by healthy subjects.