Changes in Added Sugar Intake and Body Weight in a Cohort of Older Australians: A Secondary Analysis of the Blue Mountains Eye Study

Abstract

Background: The evidence regarding the association between added sugar (AS) intake and obesity remains inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between changes in the percentage of energy intake from AS (EAS%) and changes in body weight in a cohort study of older Australians during 15 years of follow-up. In addition, associations were assessed according to whether EAS% intake was provided from beverage or non-beverage sources.Methods: Data were analyzed from the participants of the Blue Mountains Eye Study Cohort. Dietary data were collected at baseline (1992–94) and three five-yearly intervals using a 145-item food frequency questionnaire. Participants' body weight was measured at each time point. Five-yearly changes in EAS% intake and body weight were calculated (n = 1,713 at baseline). A generalized estimating equation (GEE) model was used to examine the relationship between the overall five-yearly changes in EAS% intake and body weight, adjusted for dietary and lifestyle variables.Results: In each time interval, the EAS% intake decreased by ~5% in the lowest quartile (Q1) and increased by ~5% in the highest quartile (Q4). The mean (SD) body weight change in Q1 and Q4 were 1.24 (8.10) kg and 1.57 (7.50) kg (first time interval), 0.08 (6.86) kg and −0.19 (5.63) kg (second time interval), and −1.22 (5.16) kg and −0.37 (5.47) kg (third time interval), respectively. In GEE analyses, the overall five-yearly change in EAS% intake was not significantly associated with body weight change (Ptrend = 0.837). Furthermore, no significant associations were observed between changes in EAS% intake from either beverage or non-beverage sources and changes in body weight (Ptrend for beverage sources = 0.621 and Ptrend for non-beverage sources = 0.626).Conclusion: The findings of this older Australian cohort do not support the association between changes in EAS% intake and body weight, regardless of AS food sources (beverage or non-beverage).

The Influence of Unlimited Sucrose Intake on Body Weight and Behavior—Findings from a Mouse Model

“…To provide a model that would incorporate human-like patterns of self-administration in laboratory animals, we opted for a design which allows free choice access and thus applied the two-bottle choice paradigm (2BCP) in male C57BL/6J mice, allowing them unlimited access to the potent sucrose solution (32%) in home cages, without affecting social environment/hierarchy. Indications that added sugar provided by liquid food sources may play a more powerful role in the development of obesity/overweight than added sugar from solid food sources (because it may not result in compensation for energy intake to the same extent as solid added sugar food sources, leading to excess food consumption and resultant weight gain; discussed in [ 29 ]) were taken into account. Additional steps, before the highly concentrated sucrose solution is made available to the animals, were introduced to ensure that all groups would start consuming the 32% sucrose at the same time.…”