Objective: There is a remarkable growth in sugar-sweetened (SSB) production and obesity prevalence among school-aged children in China. This paper describes SSB consumption and its association with obesity among Chinese children aged 6-17 years in 2012.
Methods: in total, 25,553 children aged 6~17 years enrolled in the China Nutrition and Health Surveillance 2010-2013 were included in this study. Data of SSB consumption frequency and quantity were obtained from a food frequency questionnaire, and the children's nutritional status was assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between SSB consumption and obesity status.
Results: SSB intake was estimated as 181.0 g/day, occurring 2.2 times/week. Older children, males, children from urban areas, and children with higher socioeconomic status were more likely to consume SSBs. Children who consumed SSBs 1~<5 times/week (11.7%) and >5 times/week (12.9%) were more likely to be overweight/obesity than those who consumed SSBs less than once/week.
Conclusion: SSB consumption was common among Chinese school-aged children, especially among males, older children, and children from urban areas. High consumption of SSBs was associated with a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity. Actions and plans are required to reduce SSB consumption and control childhood obesity in China.
Keywords: Chinese children; overweight/obesity; school age; sugar-sweetened beverage.