Identification of sugar-sweetened beverages that parents add to their children's snacks and the relationship with cardiometabolic risk in schoolchildren

High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) promotes body weight gain in both children and adults. Its excessive intake has been associated with some chronic-degenerative diseases such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, hyper-triglyceridemia, and metabolic syndrome. The objective of this work was to identify the consumption of SSB, as part of the snacks that parents add to their children, and their association with the existence of cardiometabolic risk in primary school students in Reynosa, Tamaulipas. The sample was made up of 853 in 3rd and 4th grade primary schoolchildren, whose weight (kg), height (cm), body mass index and waist circumference (cm) were measured. To evaluate the SSB offered as part of the school snack, a checklist was used that considered: juices, flavored waters, flavored milks, soft drinks and isotonic beverages. Cardiometabolic risk (CMR) was measured with waist circumference for age and sex, using a range greater than or equal to the 90th percentile. It was found that 49.4 % (421) of schoolchildren consumed SSB. Girls had higher consumption (27.8 %; 237) than boys (21.6 %; 184). 24.1 % of children presented CMR factor, 11.4 % of them (6.4 % girls y 5.0 % boys) had as habit the consumption of SSB, associated with the development of additional CMR factors. We highlight the importance of maintaining teaching and intervention programs to improve the eating habits of minors, since childhood is a learning stage.