Association of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption with Prediabetes and Glucose Metabolism Markers in Hispanic/Latino Adults in the United States: Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Examining the Role of Aguas Frescas in Assessment of Sugary-Drink Intake among Mexican and Mexican American Adults

BACKGROUND

Aguas frescas are Mexican drinks that are typically made with water, sugar, and fruit. Aguas frescas may be a significant component of sugary-drink intake among Mexican and Mexican-American (MA) adults. However, it is unclear whether survey respondents report aguas frescas consumption when it is not specifically queried in standardized beverage frequency instruments.

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the prevalence of aguas frescas consumption, the sociodemographic correlates of aguas frescas intake, and how specifically querying aguas frescas intake affects sugary-drink estimates among Mexican and MA adults.

METHODS

Cross-sectional, online surveys were conducted in 2021 with 5377 Mexican and 3073 MA adults as part of the International Food Policy Study. Past 7-d consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), sugary drinks, and aguas frescas were assessed along with relevant covariates. Weighted analyses included logistic and linear regression, including models with correlation structure.

RESULTS

An estimated 61.7% of Mexican and 28.7% of MA adults consumed aguas frescas. In Mexico, consumption was associated with females, low education, perceiving oneself as having about the right weight, being good to excellent health, and consuming an unhealthy amount of sugary drinks. For MAs, intake was associated with being younger, speaking Spanish, and perceiving oneself as being underweight or about the right weight. Among Mexican adults who consumed aguas frescas but did not report them unless specifically queried, the volume of SSB intake was 67.9% higher for females and 64.3% higher for males when aguas frescas were included. Among MAs, SSB intake was 56.9% higher for females and 44.1% higher for males. Most participants (79.9%-85.2%) remained in the same sugary-drink tertiles when including compared with excluding aguas frescas.

CONCLUSIONS

Aguas frescas should be queried during beverage intake assessments, as they contribute a nontrivial amount of added sugars to the diets of many Mexican and MA adults.

Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease: Knowledge Gained from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) has made important contributions on the prevalence of and factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among diverse Hispanic/Latino adults in the US. This article summarizes the knowledge gained thus far on major CVD risk factors from this landmark study.

RECENT FINDINGS

HCHS/SOL demonstrated the sizeable burdens of CVD risk in all major Hispanic/Latino groups in the US, as well as the marked variations in prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, obesity, and smoking by sex and background. It also identified sociodemographic, lifestyle, and sociocultural characteristics associated with risk factors. HCHS/SOL has yielded an expanding body of literature on characteristics associated with adverse CVD risk factors in this population. Long-term follow-up of this cohort will shed further light on the observed heterogeneity in CVD risk across Hispanic/Latino groups and identify specific risk/protective factors driving these variations.

The Association of Lifestyle Patterns with Prediabetes in Adults from Families at High Risk for Type 2 Diabetes in Europe: The Feel4Diabetes Study

The increasing prevalence of prediabetes globally does not bode well for the growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its complications. Yet there is a lack of studies regarding lifestyle patterns (LPs) and their association with prediabetes. The present study aimed to examine the association of different LPs with the existence of prediabetes in adults from families at high risk for T2D in Europe. In total, 2759 adults (66.3% females) from six European countries were included in this cross-sectional analysis using data from the baseline assessment of the Feel4Diabetes study. Anthropometric, sociodemographic, dietary and behavioral data were assessed, and fasting blood glucose measurements were also obtained. LPs were derived via principal component analysis. Two LPs were derived, explaining 32% of the total variation. LP 1 was characterized by breakfast consumption, high consumption of fruits and berries, vegetables and nuts and seeds, and low consumption of salty snacks and soft drinks with sugar, while LP 2 was characterized by high consumption of salty and sweet snacks, soft drinks with sugar and juice with sugar and sedentary behavior. After adjusting for various confounders, LP 2 was positively associated with the existence of prediabetes (odds ratio = 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04), while LP 1 was not significantly associated with prediabetes. Understanding LPs would provide necessary evidence for planning intervention and education strategies for prediabetes and T2D.

The consumption pattern and perception of using artificial sweeteners among the public in Tabuk region, Saudi Arabia

Background

Obesity and weight gain have become major problems worldwide. Thus, several forms of alternative intense sweeteners are extensively used, offering a non-caloric sweet taste. To the best of our knowledge, no research has studied either the consumption pattern or the perception of using artificial sweeteners in Saudi Arabia.

Objectives

Our research aimed to study the usage pattern of such artificial sweeteners in the Tabuk region and estimate the knowledge of and attitudes toward their usage among the population.

Methods

A cross-sectional study promoted on multiple social media platforms and face-to-face interviews in different malls and hospitals in the Tabuk region. We grouped the participants into two major groups: the users and the non-users of artificial sweeteners. Each group has been subdivided into a healthy subgroup and those with a medical record subgroup. Participants' characteristics and their choice of sweeteners were analyzed using bivariate analysis. The age, gender, and education level of the participants were adjusted using binary logistic regression in order to adjust for potential confounders.

Results

A total of 2,760 participants were included in our study. We found that more than 59% of the participants that were over 45 years old were non-hospitalized non-hospitalized diseased irrespective of their usage of artificial sweeteners. Furthermore, females, graduates, diabetics were significantly high irrespective of their subgroup. Moreover, Steviana^® is the most commonly used artificial sweetener. In addition, healthy participants showed a greater perception of the usage and adverse effects of artificial sweeteners. Furthermore, bivariate analysis using logistic regression revealed significant associations (p < 0.05) with confounders such as gender, age, and education level.

Conclusion

Educational programs and nutritional advice for the safe consumption and the daily permissible doses of artificial sweeteners are essential and should be directed specifically at females.

Nutritional quality of snacks and beverages sold through vending machines in a large Hispanic-serving urban college campus in the United States: A cross-sectional study

Students from nutritionally-vulnerable neighborhoods face dietary challenges through built environment of college vending machines. In this cross-sectional study, snacks and beverages sold in vending machines for a 4-week period in a Bronx-based Hispanic-serving college were recorded. Nutritional information was recorded from nutrition labels. Proportion of low- and high-sodium foods, "smart snacks" with a limit of 200 kcal and 200 mg of sodium, and foods with added sugar were recorded. Snacks had significantly higher calories and sodium per serving (227 kcal, 208 mg) than beverages (132 kcal, 90 mg) (t-test, p < 0.001). Almost a third of the snacks (32%) qualified as "smart snacks" for calories and 62% qualified as "smart snacks" for sodium. Beverages contained less than half the number of ingredients as snacks. About 53% of beverages and almost 60% of snacks listed sugar among the first five ingredients. Results underscore the need for colleges to promote less-processed entities with less added sugar.

Contributing Factors of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake in the Latinx Population: A Narrative Review Using the Social-Ecological Model

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption in the Latinx population has been a topic of increasing interest due to higher rates of consumption in this population, as well as higher prevalence of chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and obesity. SSB behaviors are influenced by multiple factors across the socio-ecological model. Understanding these factors can inform future intervention development and improve SSB consumption and overall health. Therefore, this narrative review identifies factors contributing to SSB consumption, as well as interventions conducted to address SSB consumption in the Latinx population residing in the United States. Contributing factors that are not currently addressed in published interventions are highlighted with the intent to inform the development of future comprehensive interventions.