Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are the principle source of added sugar in diets. Cardiometabolic disturbances can occur from early childhood to adulthood. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the gender-specific association of SSB intake with metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components among adolescents in Taiwan. A total of 2727 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years randomly selected from three diverse economic areas in Southern Taiwan by using a multistage-sampling strategy participated in this study. Demographic, dietary, physical and anthropometric parameters were measured, and serum lipid profiles and glucose levels were determined. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) specifies that MetS requires abdominal obesity and ≥2 abnormal components, and Cook criteria for MetS require ≥3 abnormal components. We applied survey-data modules to data analyses, and used multiple regression and logistic models to adjust for covariates. An increased SSB intake was linked to a greater waist circumference in both sexes and to systolic blood pressure in boys (P for trend: ≤0.043). Male moderate and high consuming SSB drinkers exhibited triglyceride levels that were 8.0 and 8.2 mg/dL significantly higher, respectively, than those of nondrinkers. Compared with nondrinkers, boys who consumed >500 mL/day (high quantity) of SSBs exhibited 10.3-fold (95% confidence intervals (CIs): 1.2-90.2) and 5.1-fold (95% CIs: 1.01-25.5) risks of contracting MetS, as defined by the IDF and Cook criteria for MetS, respectively. In girls, the risk estimates for the same comparison were not significant by the IDF criteria (6.5-fold risk, 95% CIs: 0.9-∞) or Cook criteria (5.9-fold risk, 95% CIs: 0.8-43.8) for MetS. High SSB consumption was also linked to 1.9-fold (95% CIs: 1.1-3.1) and 2.7-fold (95% CIs: 1.3-5.7) higher risks of being at a greater overall metabolic risk in girls and boys, respectively. In conclusion, a high SSB intake is associated with adolescent MetS among boys but not girls in Taiwan.

Fructose-rich SSB intake is associated with elevated levels of IR, and this relationship may be partially mediated by central adiposity and serum uric acid. Obesity may modify the effect of this type of SSB consumption in intensifying the elevation of IR in adolescents.

P-selectin expression has been shown inHelicobacter pylori-infected persons, an infection that has been clinically associated with platelet-related diseases, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. However, the role of P-selectin expression during H pylori infection remains unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that P-selectin expression was associated with platelet aggregation during H pylori infection. Using flow cytometry, we examined the levels of adhesion between H pylori and platelets as well as the levels of P-selectin expression and platelet phosphatidylserine (PS) expression during H pylori infection. Significantly high levels of adhesion between proaggregatory bacteria and platelets were observed. We identified that H pylori IgG is required for bacteria to induce Pselectin expression and that a significant release of P-selectin is essential for H pylori to induce aggregation. In addition, cellular apoptotic signs, such as membrane blebbing, were observed in platelet aggregates. PS expression was also detected in platelets during infection with both pro-aggrogatory and nonaggregatory strains of H pylori. These results suggest that the decrease in platelet counts seen during H pylori infection is the result of P-selection-dependent platelet aggregation and PS expression induced by the bacteria. IntroductionMany diseases associated with platelet aggregation have been described as being related to Helicobacter pylori infection. For example, H pylori-infected persons have a tendency toward suffering from myocardial infarctions, 1-3 coronary heart disease, 4,5 and stroke. 6 It has also been suggested that H pylori may trigger the formation of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) by inducing platelet aggregation through an interaction with the von Willebrand factor (VWF). 7 There have also been implications that chronic H pylori infection may be associated with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), as eradication of the bacteria from gastric mucosa has shown improvement in some ITP patients. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] There is ongoing interest in identifying the various H pylori virulence factors that may predict the risk of developing symptoms of ITP. Studies have primarily focused on 2 groups of putative bacterial virulence factors, the cag pathogenicity island (for which CagA is a marker) and the vacuolating cytotoxin, such as VacA 17,18 ; however, CagA and VacA have not been suggested to be causes of H pylori-induced platelet aggregation. 19 There has been evidence showing that associations exist between H pylori and platelet aggregation in vivo. Platelet aggregation was observed in rat gastric mucosal microcirculation in vivo after H pylori administration. 20 An increase in arterial thrombosis was also found in chronic H pylori-infected mice. 17 However, the mechanisms of how H pylori induces platelet aggregation are not clearly understood. Byrne et al proposed that the H pylori strain 60190 (ATCC 49503) induces platelet aggregation through interactions between H pylori, its ant...

BackgroundThe metabolic effect of fructose in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) has been linked to de novo lipogenesis and uric acid (UA) production.ObjectivesThis study investigated the biological effects of SSB consumption on serum lipid profiles and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) among Taiwanese adolescents.MethodsWe evaluated the anthropometric parameters and biochemical outcomes of 200 representative adolescents (98 boys and 102 girls) who were randomly selected from a large-scale cross-sectional study. Data were analyzed using multiple regression models adjusted for covariates.ResultsIncreased SSB consumption was associated with increased waist and hip circumferences, body mass index (BMI) values and serum UA, triglyceride (TG) and RBP4 levels. Adolescents who consumed >500 ml/day of beverages half-to-heavily sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) exhibited TG and RBP4 levels 22.7 mg/dl and 13.92 ng/ml higher than non-drinkers, respectively. HFCS drinkers with hyperuricemia had higher TG levels than HFCS drinkers with normal UA levels (98.6 vs. 81.6 mg/dl). The intake of HFCS-rich SSBs and high value of BMI (≥24) interactively reinforced RBP4 levels among overweight/obese adolescents. Circulating RBP4 levels were significantly correlated with weight-related outcomes and TG and UA concentration among HFCS drinkers (r = 0.253 to 0.404), but not among non-drinkers.ConclusionsHigh-quantity HFCS-rich beverage consumption is associated with higher TG and RBP4 levels. Hyperuricemia is likely to intensify the influence of HFCS-rich SSB intake on elevated TG levels, and in overweight and obese adolescents, high BMI may modify the action of fructose on higher circulating levels of RBP4.