Soft drink consumption and excess weight gain in Australian school students: results from the Nepean study (original) (raw)

International Journal of Obesity volume 30, pages 1091–1093 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

We studied the relation between soft drink/cordial (a sweet, flavoured, concentrated syrup that is mixed with water to taste), fruit juice/drink and milk consumption in mid-childhood, and body mass index (BMI) status in early adolescence in a contemporary Australian cohort. In 1996/7, 268 children (136 males) were recruited from western Sydney at baseline (mean±s.d.: 7.7±0.6 years), and at follow-up 5 years later (13.0±0.2 years). Height and weight were measured at both time periods and overweight and obesity defined using the International Obesity TaskForce criteria. Beverage consumption was calculated from a 3-day food record at baseline. Median carbohydrate intake from soft drink/cordial was 10 g higher (_P_=0.002) per day in children who were overweight/obese at follow-up compared to those who had an acceptable BMI at both baseline and follow-up. Intakes of soft drink/cordial in mid-childhood, but not fruit juice/fruit drink and milk, were associated with excess weight gain in early adolescence.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 print issues and online access

$259.00 per year

only $21.58 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ludwig DS, Peterson KE, Gortmaker SL . Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis. Lancet 2001; 357: 505–508.
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  2. Garnett SP, Cowell CT, Baur LA, Fay RA, Lee J, Coakley J et al. Abdominal fat and birth size in healthy prepubertal children. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001; 25: 1667–1673.
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  3. Cole TJ, Bellizzi MC, Flegal KM, Dietz WH . Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey. BMJ 2000; 320: 1240–1243.
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  4. CDC growth charts. 2005, http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/ Accessed November 2003.
  5. Ludwig DS, Peterson KE, Gortmaker SL . Relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and childhood obesity: a prospective, observational analysis. Lancet 2001; 357: 505–508.
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  6. Blum JW, Jacobsen DJ, Donnelly JE . Beverage consumption patterns in elementary school aged children across a two-year period. J Am Coll Nutr 2005; 24: 93–98.
    Article Google Scholar
  7. Marshall TA, Eichenberger Gilmore JM, Broffitt B, Stumbo PJ, Levy SM . Diet quality in young children is influenced by beverage consumption. J Am Coll Nutr 2005; 24: 65–75.
    Article Google Scholar
  8. Van den Bulck J, Mierlo J . Energy intake associated with television viewing in adolescents, a cross sectional study. Appetite 2004; 43: 181–184.
    Article Google Scholar
  9. Newby PK, Peterson KE, Berkey CS, Leppert J, Willett WC, Colditz GA . Beverage consumption is not associated with changes in weight and body mass index among low-income preschool children in North Dakota. J Am Diet Assoc 2004; 104: 1086–1094.
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  10. Skinner JD, Carruth BR, Moran III J, Houck K, Coletta F . Fruit juice intake is not related to children's growth. Pediatrics 1999; 103: 58–64.
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the families who generously donated their time to participate in this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, NSW, Australia
    C S Tam, S P Garnett, C T Cowell & G Cabrera
  2. Discipline of Pediatrics and Child Health, The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
    S P Garnett, C T Cowell & L A Baur
  3. Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
    K Campbell

Authors

  1. C S Tam
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. S P Garnett
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. C T Cowell
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  4. K Campbell
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  5. G Cabrera
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  6. L A Baur
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence toC S Tam.

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tam, C., Garnett, S., Cowell, C. et al. Soft drink consumption and excess weight gain in Australian school students: results from the Nepean study.Int J Obes 30, 1091–1093 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803328

Download citation

Keywords