Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain: a systematic review

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 84; no. 2; pp. 274 - 288
• Main Authors: Malik, Vasanti S, Schulze, Matthias B, Hu, Frank B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD American Society for Nutrition 01.08.2006; American Society for Clinical Nutrition; American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc
• Subjects: administration & dosage; Adolescent; Adult; adverse effects; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Beverages; Beverages - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; body weight; Carbonated Beverages; Carbonated Beverages - adverse effects; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Dietary Sucrose; Dietary Sucrose - administration & dosage; Dietary Sucrose - adverse effects; disease prevalence; drug effects; energy balance; energy intake; epidemiology; etiology; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Food additives; food intake; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; meta-analysis; Middle Aged; obesity; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - etiology; overweight; Prospective Studies; public health; Risk Factors; satiety; Soft drinks; Sugar; sugars; United States; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weight; weight gain; Weight Gain - drug effects; United States; Human; Obesity; Fruit; Nutrition disorder; added sugar; fruit drinks; Review; energy compensation; soda; Weight gain; Sugar-sweetened beverages; Energy; soft drinks; Compensation; Soft drink; Nutritional status; Sugar
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/84.2.274

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), particularly carbonated soft drinks, may be a key contributor to the epidemic of overweight and obesity, by virtue of these beverages' high added sugar content, low satiety, and incomplete compensation for total energy. Whether an association exists between SSB intake and weight gain is unclear. We searched English-language MEDLINE publications from 1966 through May 2005 for cross-sectional, prospective cohort, and experimental studies of the relation between SSBs and the risk of weight gain (ie, overweight, obesity, or both). Thirty publications (15 cross-sectional, 10 prospective, and 5 experimental) were selected on the basis of relevance and quality of design and methods. Findings from large cross-sectional studies, in conjunction with those from well-powered prospective cohort studies with long periods of follow-up, show a positive association between greater intakes of SSBs and weight gain and obesity in both children and adults. Findings from short-term feeding trials in adults also support an induction of positive energy balance and weight gain by intake of sugar-sweetened sodas, but these trials are few. A school-based intervention found significantly less soft-drink consumption and prevalence of obese and overweight children in the intervention group than in control subjects after 12 mo, and a recent 25-week randomized controlled trial in adolescents found further evidence linking SSB intake to body weight. The weight of epidemiologic and experimental evidence indicates that a greater consumption of SSBs is associated with weight gain and obesity. Although more research is needed, sufficient evidence exists for public health strategies to discourage consumption of sugary drinks as part of a healthy lifestyle.