High sugar content and body mass index: modelling pathways around the first 1000 d of life, BRISA cohort

Abstract

Objective: Few studies are focused on sugar consumption around the first 1000 d of life. Thus, this work modelled the pathways linking the consumption of sugary drinks in pregnancy and maternal pre-gestational BMI to early child’s exposure to products with high sugar content and to BMI z-score in the second year of life. Design: BRISA cohort, São Luís, Brazil was used from the baseline to the follow-up at the second year of life. Setting: A theoretical model was constructed to analyse associations between variables from prenatal period (socio-economic status, age, frequency of sugary drinks consumption during pregnancy and pre-gestational BMI), birth weight, exclusive breast-feeding and two outcomes: higher calories from products with added sugar as a percentage of the total daily energy intake and BMI z-score at follow-up at the first 2 years of life, using structural equation modelling. Participants: Data of pregnant women (n 1136) and their offspring. Results: Higher pre-gestational BMI (standardised coefficient (SC) = 0·100; P = 0·008) and higher frequency of sugary drinks consumption during pregnancy (SC = 0·134; P < 0·001) resulted in high percentage of daily calories from products with added sugar in the second year of child, although no yet effect was observed on offspring weight at that time. Conclusions: Maternal obesity and sugary drinks consumption in pregnancy increased the risk of early exposure (before to 2 years) and high exposure of child to added sugar, showing perpetuation of the unhealthy dietary behaviours in the first 1000 d of life.

Pathways in the association between added sugar consumption, obesity in mother‐child dyads, and chronic oral disease burden in early childhood

“…The frequency of added sugar consumption by the mother may be associated with maternal obesity [32]. Maternal obesity may explain the early and high sugar exposure [18] and obesity [18] in offspring. These pathways could explain the association of maternal obesity with childhood caries [19].…”

“…The sugar exposure and obesity (higher BMI/Age z-score) in children may increase with age [33]. In addition, the consumption frequency of added sugars may be associated with obesity in childhood [18] and with the chronic oral disease burden in early childhood [14,18,34], while the last two variables may be correlated with each other.…”

“…Obesity is an important metabolic risk factor for non-communicable diseases [15] and is associated with both periodontal disease and dental caries [16,17]. Maternal obesity may also explain obesity, high sugar exposure [18], and early childhood caries [19].…”

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Allergy Traits at Second Year of Life: BRISA Cohort Study

“…The explanation for the association between SSB exposure and allergies especially involves three main mechanisms: Modulate Children's Mechanism, AGE's Mechanism, and Dysbiosis' Mechanism (Figure 2). A higher consumption of SSBs during pregnancy resulted in a higher percentage of calories from sugary products in children at two years of age [7]. These findings involve genetic and environmental alterations, which can lead to a preference for sweets due to changes in taste, as well as the ingestion of greater amounts of sugars in offspring [27].…”

Impact of the first thousand days of life on dental caries through the life course: a transdisciplinary approach

“…[16][17][18] Moreover, a recent cohort study showed that maternal obesity and high consumption of sugary drinks during pregnancy increased the risk of early exposure (before the second year of life) and high exposure of the child to added sugars, showing perpetuation of unhealthy dietary habits in the first 1000 days of life. 49 Therefore, maintaining oral health, strengthening and improving oral health knowledge during pregnancy is a critical and promising step in the prevention of ECC and other maternal and child oral health indicators throughout life. The formation of primary teeth and some early erupting permanent teeth (permanent first molars and incisors) begin during pregnancy.…”