Know how low sugar drinks are linked with HDL-C changes in children

In a recent study, researchers have found that the lowered intakes of sugar-sweetened beverage by children are linked to favorable HDL-C changes in their body.

Researchers from TUFTS University found that there was an inverse association between SSB intake changes and HDL-cholesterol increases and a higher intake of SSBs was associated with a higher triglyceride concentration.

Author Maria Van Rompay said that a clustering of risk factors including high triglycerides, low HDL-C, insulin resistance and obesity, especially if begun in childhood, puts one at higher risk for future cardiovascular disease.

She added that with their study they sought to better understand the relationship between lipid levels and SSB consumption in a population of schoolchildren in which health disparities were likely, and where future interventions could help improve diet quality and disease risk.

After the study, the researchers found that at baseline, approximately 85 percent of children/adolescents reported consuming SSBs during the past week. 18 percent of the sample consumed 7 or more servings per week, or approximately one serving or more daily.

Senior author Jennifer Sacheck said that importantly, not only are most SSBs high in sugar and devoid of nutritional value, but they are displacing other foods and beverages that offer high nutritional quality, which are critical for children's growth and development, further exacerbating the potential harmful health effects of SSBs.

The study is published in the Journal of Nutrition.