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[Consumption of free sugars and excess weight in infants. A longitudinal study]

Cristina Jardí1, Núria Aranda1, Cristina Bedmar1

  • 1Grupo de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud Mental (NUTRISAM), Institut d'Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Tarragona, España.

Anales De Pediatria
|May 19, 2018
PubMed

Insights

High free sugar intake in 12-month-old infants is linked to an increased risk of excess weight by 30 months. This early consumption pattern may be a significant risk factor for childhood obesity.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Public Health
  • Childhood Obesity Research

Background:

  • Global health organizations recommend limiting free sugar intake to less than 10% of total energy due to its association with excess weight.
  • Understanding the early-life impact of free sugar consumption is crucial for developing effective public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between free sugar consumption at 12 months of age and the risk of developing excess weight by 30 months in healthy children.
  • To provide evidence on the long-term consequences of early-life dietary habits on child weight status.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal study followed 81 healthy children from birth to 30 months, collecting anthropometric and clinical data.
  • Dietary intake, specifically free and natural sugars, was assessed at 12 months using nutrient analysis.
  • Weight status was determined using World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and multivariate analyses controlled for confounding variables.

Main Results:

  • Over 40% of 12-month-old infants consumed free sugars, exceeding recommended intake levels.
  • Children with excess weight at 30 months showed significantly higher free sugar consumption at 12 months (60.9%).
  • Higher free sugar intake at 12 months was significantly associated with an increased risk of excess weight at 30 months (OR: 1.130).

Conclusions:

  • Free sugar consumption among 12-month-old infants frequently surpasses recommended guidelines.
  • Elevated intake of free sugars in infancy emerges as a potential risk factor for excess weight, even in the early years of life.
Abstract

Keywords:
Alimentación infantilAzúcares libresChildhood obesityFree sugarsInfant feedingInfantsLactantesObesidad infantilOrganización Mundial de la SaludWorld Health Organisation

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