Exposure to liquid sweetness in early childhood: artificially‐sweetened and sugar‐sweetened beverage consumption at 4–5 years and risk of overweight and obesity at 7–8 years

Summary Background A significant gap exists in longitudinal evidence on early exposure to artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) and weight outcomes for paediatric populations. Objective The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between ASB/sugar‐sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption at 4–5 years and risk of overweight and obesity at 7–8 years. Methods Data from a nationally representative cohort (n = 2986) in Scotland were analysed using logistic regression to evaluate the association between exposure to ASBs/SSBs at 4–5 years and risk of overweight and obesity at 7–8 years. Results There were positive unadjusted associations between ASB consumption and risk of obesity, and following adjustment for confounders, ASB associations attenuated, and only the middle consumption category (1 to 6 times per week) remained significant (odds ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval {CI} 1.05–2.36). For SSB consumption, there were no significant unadjusted associations, and following adjustment for confounders, only the middle consumption category was significant (odds ratio 1.65, 95% CI 1.12–2.44). There were no significant associations for risk of overweight. Conclusions Longitudinal analysis from 4–5 to 7–8 years demonstrated some evidence of associations between ASBs/SSB consumption and risk of obesity. However, non‐linear patterns and wide CIs suggest cautious interpretation and need for future studies with long‐term follow‐up.