Consumption of sugar-sweetened soft-drink and fruit juice beverages differentially associated with glucose-related measures

Authors: YOSHIDA, MAKIKO - TUFTS UNIVERSITY; MCKEOWN, NICOLA - TUFTS/HNRCA; MEIGS, JAMES - MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL; ROGERS, GAIL - TUFTS/HNRCA; SALTZMAN, EDWARD - TUFTS/HNRCA; Jacques, Paul

Submitted to: Annual Scientific Meeting NAASO, The Obesity Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2006
Publication Date: 10/22/2006
Citation: Yoshida, M., Mckeown, N., Meigs, J., Rogers, G., Saltzman, E., Jacques, P. 2006. Consumption of sugar-sweetened soft-drink and fruit juice beverages differentially associated with glucose-related measures. Annual Scientific Meeting NAASO, The Obesity Society. October 20-24, 2006: Boston, MA. Abstract no. 68-OR.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Observational studies have linked sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption to weight gain, metabolic syndrome and risk of type 2 DM. Impaired insulin sensitivity is a key metabolic abnormality associated with these conditions and high-fructose corn syrup, the main caloric sweetener in sodas, has been linked to insulin resistance. We hypothesized that sugar-sweetened soft drinks and fruit juice consumption would be unfavorably associated with glucose-related metabolic risk factors. We tested this hypothesis in a sample of 2,308 subjects, participating in the fifth examination (1991-1995) of the Framingham Offspring Cohort. Using a FFQ, participants reported how often, on average over the previous year, they consumed the following beverages: sugar-sweetened soft drinks (“Coke, Pepsi or other cola with sugar”, caffeine-free Coke, Pepsi, or other cola with sugar”, and “other carbonated beverages with sugar”); fruit juice (“apple juice”, “orange juice”, “grapefruit juice” and “other juice”) and diet soft drinks ("low-caloric cola with caffeine”, “low-caloric caffeine-free cola”, and “other low calorie beverages”). After adjustment for sex, age, BMI, waist circumference, energy intake, multivitamin supplementation use, alcohol intake, blood pressure medication, current cigarette smoking, physical activity, sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption was positively associated with fasting insulin (geometic mean in non-consumers: 27.0 and 30.0 mu/mL in individuals consuming 2 < per day; P trend <0.001) and 2-hr post challenge insulin (74 and 80 mu/mL, respectively; P trend 0.03). Fruit juice consumption was inversely associated with 2 hr post challenge insulin (79 and 71 mu/mL, non-consumers versus individuals consuming 2 < per day), but was not associated with fasting insulin (28.8 and 27.3, P trend, 0.32, respectively). Diet soda consumption was not associated with either fasting or 2-hr post challenge insulin concentrations. Thus, a greater consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks appears to be unfavorably associated both fasting and 2-hr post-challenge insulin, suggestive of worsening insulin sensitivity. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of sweetened soft drink consumption on insulin sensitivity in different populations.