Influence of sugar consumption from foods with different degrees of processing on anthropometric indicators of children and adolescents after 18 months of follow-up.

Excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with the development of metabolic changes in children and adolescents. However, the consumption of total sugars, monosaccharides and disaccharides present in these ultra-processed foods and other food groups and its association with anthropometric indicators must be evaluated. Therefore, this study aimed at analysing the influence of sugar consumption from foods with different degrees of processing on anthropometric indicators of children and adolescents after 18 months of follow-up. This cohort study was conducted among 492 children and adolescents aged 7-15 years. Information on food consumption and anthropometry was collected during three follow-up stages. NOVA classification was used for food categorisation. The influence of sugar consumption on the variation of anthropometric measurements over time was evaluated using generalised estimation equation models. During the analysis period, for each increase of 1 g/d in the consumption of total sugars and monosaccharides from ultra-processed foods, there was an increase of 0·002 kg/m2 (P = 0·030) and 0·001 kg/m2 (P = 0·019) in BMI/Age; increase of 0·073 (P < 0·001), 0·032 (P < 0·001) and 0·100 (P < 0·001) in the BMI/Age z-score; and increase of 0·001 cm (P = 0·001), 0·001 cm (P = 0·003) and 0·003 cm (P < 0·001) in waist circumference, with the consumption of total sugars, monosaccharides and disaccharides, respectively. Our study findings support the evidence that the consumption of total sugars, monosaccharides and disaccharides from ultra-processed foods is associated with weight gain and abdominal fat in children and adolescents, which may represent an important risk factor for excess weight in this age group.

Anthropometric status and lipid profile among children and adolescents: Changes after 18-month follow-up.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Overweight children and adolescents are more likely to evolve with high cholesterol, be obese adults and develop cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to identify the influence of anthropometric status on the changes in the lipid profile of children and adolescents during an 18-month follow-up period. METHODS: A cohort study involving 540 boys and girls from 7 to 15 years of age was conducted over 18 months' follow-up. The outcome variables were the lipid indicators and the principal exposure variable was anthropometric status, measured by different indicators. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach was used to identify the associations of interest. RESULTS: Irrespective of age, sex, socio-economic status, physical activity and diet, for each gain of 1 cm in the waist circumference (WC) mean in the adjusted model, triglyceride levels increased by a mean of 0.5 mg/dl (p < 0.000) and there was an increase of 0.21 mg/dL in the total cholesterol after the 18-month period. The increase of 0.1 in the mean body mass index (BMI) Z-score promoted a gain of 2.7 mg/dL in the triglycerides mean levels (p < 0.000) and an increase of 1.5 mg/dL in the total cholesterol mean levels (p = 0.014) after the follow-up period. Regarding the waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and conicity index (CI), an increment of 40.6 mg/dL (p = 0.02) and of 30.1 mg/dL (p = 0.01) was observed in the triglycerides' mean when the participants increased 0.1 in the WHtR mean and CI mean, and the same was observed in the total cholesterol mean, with an increase of 45.4,g/dL (p = 0.02) and 19.3 mg/dL (p = 0.03), for each indicator, respectively. Changes of the traditional anthropometric indicators (WC and BMI) did not promote variations in the mean levels of LDL-cholesterol. HDL-cholesterol was not influenced by the changes in the anthropometric indicators. CONCLUSIONS: At the baseline, a higher triglyceride mean and lower levels of HDL-c were observed in children and adolescents with altered anthropometric status for all measures. Mean triglyceride and total cholesterol levels are influenced by changes in the anthropometric status, regardless of the measure, after 18 months of follow-up. However, for LDL-cholesterol, it was observed that changes in the traditional anthropometric indicators (WC and BMI) did not promote variations in the mean levels of this biochemical variable, while HDL-c was not influenced by changes in any of the anthropometric indicators.