Association between Food, Beverages and Overweight/Obesity in Children and Adolescents—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Abstract

A healthy diet is essential to prevent childhood obesity, however, adherence to a healthy diet is challenging. The aim of this study was to give a comprehensive overview of the literature investigaating associations between food and beverages and overweight/obesity in children and adolescents in order to identify dietary risk factors. A systematic search was performed in four databases and observational studies were included. Meta-analysis was performed using the random effect model. Sixty records met inclusion criteria and 14 different food or beverage categories were identified. A higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages increased the odds of overweight/obesity by 1.20 (p < 0.05) (n = 26) and higher intake of fast food increased the odds of overweight/obesity by 1.17 (p < 0.05) (n = 24). Furthermore, higher intake of meat (OR 1.02, p < 0.05 (n:7)) and refined grains (OR 1.28, p < 0.05 (n:3)) was associated with an increased risk of overweight/obesity. In contrast, higher intake of whole grain (OR 0.86, p = 0.04 (n:5)) and more surprisingly sweet bakery (OR 0.59, p < 0.05 (n:3)) was associated with a decreased risk of overweight/obesity. In conclusion, a higher intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and a higher intake of fast food was identified as the primary dietary risk factors for overweight/obesity. Future research is needed to strengthen the generalizability of these results.

Development and Validation of the Meiji Nutritional Profiling System (Meiji NPS) to Address Dietary Needs of Adults and Older Adults in Japan

“…In terms of epidemiological studies, both food quality and quantity may affect health outcomes [120][121][122][123][124][125]. For example, a higher intake of comfort foods may be associated with rates of obesity or overweight [126,127]. However, a moderate intake of such foods has less of an effect on health outcomes [128][129][130][131].…”

What causes obesity in children and adolescents?

“…Abbasalizad Farhangi et al 42 show in 33 studies with 121,282 individuals, that excessive intake of sugary drinks was associated with an increase of 0.75 kg/m 2 in BMI and abdominal circumference in children and adolescents. Jakobsen et al 43 . concluded that greater intake of sugary drinks increased the chances of overweight/obesity by 1.20.…”

Growth and development impact of sustainable nutrition education: An experimental study

“…Globally, childhood overweight and obesity are expected to increase by 60% and reach an estimated 250 million children in 2030 (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020). Childhood obesity accounts for 30% of all obesity cases, and therefore, it is important to acquire adequate and balanced nutrition and regular physical activity habits in early childhood and adolescence, which will play a decisive role in the health profile in adulthood (Jakobsen et al., 2023).…”