Metabolomic Profiles Associated With Sugary Beverage Intakes in Youth

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) have been linked to obesity and metabolic dysfunction in youth; whereas the effects of 100% fruit juice, which is also high in free sugar, remain debated.

To compare metabolomic profiles of SSB versus 100% fruit juice intake across childhood and adolescence.

Data were from 593 youth in the EPOCH cohort collected during childhood (6-14 years) and adolescence (12-19 years). A food frequency questionnaire assessed total-energy-adjusted SSB and fruit juice intakes over the past week and fasting serum samples were assayed by untargeted metabolomics profiling. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression with bootstrapping identified metabolites associated with each beverage at each visit. Metabolites consistently selected across visits were retained and compared.

Mean (SD) SSB intake was 6.9 (4.9) and 5.2 (3.7) servings/week in childhood and adolescence, respectively, and mean fruit juice intake was 2.4 (2.6) and 1.7 (2.0) servings/week. Of 767 metabolites, 40 were associated with SSB intake and 39 were associated with fruit juice intake at both visits. Only three metabolites were associated with SSB and fruit juice intake (argininate, cortisone, quinate); all others were unique. Both beverages were linked to metabolites of amino acid, xenobiotic, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism (10, 11, 8 and 1 metabolites, respectively, for SSB; 7, 8, 8 and 3 metabolites, respectively, for juice intake).

SSB and 100% fruit juice intake are associated with largely distinct metabolomic profiles, suggesting some degree of beverage-specific metabolic effects in youth. Future studies are needed to replicate these findings, explore the role of common endogenous pathways and characterise mechanisms.