Free Sugar Consumption and Obesity in European Adolescents: The HELENA Study

Few studies have evaluated the association between dietary free sugars intake (FSI) and obesity in adolescents. We examined the relation between FSI and their contributors from the main food groups and obesity in European adolescents. We included 843 adolescents (51.6% male) from the cross-sectional HELENA study with two completed 24 h recalls and anthropometric data. Linear mixed models were applied to investigate the relation between FSI and different anthropometric indices. Odds ratios for having a high body mass index (BMI) were also estimated by multilevel ordinal regression. Total FSI was higher in males than females (102.60 g and 87.58 g, respectively, p &lt
0.001). No effect was observed between free sugar from the main food groups and BMI. Consumers of FSI from &ldquo
cakes, pies and biscuits&rdquo
in males (odd ratio (OR) = 0.455
95% Confidence interval (CI) 0.251, 0.824) and from &ldquo
breakfast cereals&rdquo
in females had a lower probability of having obesity (OR = 0.423
95%CI 0.204, 0.878), whereas females consuming FSI from &lsquo
fruit and vegetables juices&rsquo
had a higher probability of obesity (OR= 2.733
95% CI 1.286, 5.810). This study provides no evidence that increased FSI is associated with obesity in adolescents. Further studies are needed to assess the longitudinal exposure to FSI and their effect on obesity development.