Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and T2D diabetes in the Eastern Caribbean

Carol R. Oladele, Equity Research and Innovation Center, Yale School of Medicine, 100 Church Street South, Suite A200, New Haven, CT06510, USA.
Neha Khandpur, Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Deron Galusha, Equity Research and Innovation Center, Yale School of Medicine, 100 Church Street South, Suite A200, New Haven, CT06510, USA.
Saria Hassan, Equity Research and Innovation Center, Yale School of Medicine, 100 Church Street South, Suite A200, New Haven, CT06510, USA.
Uriyoán Colón-Ramos, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
Mary Miller, Equity Research and Innovation Center, Yale School of Medicine, 100 Church Street South, Suite A200, New Haven, CT06510, USA.
Oswald P. Adams, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados.
Rohan G. Maharaj, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago.
Cruz M. Nazario, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Maxine Nunez, University of the Virgin Islands, School of Nursing, St. Thomas, VI, USA.
Rafael Pérez-Escamilla, Yale University, School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA.
Trevor Hassell, Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Bridgetown, Barbados.
Marcella Nunez-Smith, Equity Research and Innovation Center, Yale School of Medicine, 100 Church Street South, Suite A200, New Haven, CT06510, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

3-1-2023

Journal

Public health nutrition

DOI

10.1017/S1368980023000381

Keywords

Caribbean; Sugar consumption; Sugar-sweetened beverages; Type 2 diabetes

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are implicated in the increasing risk of diabetes in the Caribbean. Few studies have examined associations between SSB consumption and diabetes in the Caribbean. DESIGN: SSB was measured as teaspoon/d using questions from the National Cancer Institute Dietary Screener Questionnaire about intake of soda, juice and coffee/tea during the past month. Diabetes was measured using self-report, HbA1C and use of medication. Logistic regression was used to examine associations. SETTING: Baseline data from the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network Cohort Study (ECS), collected in Barbados, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago and US Virgin Islands, were used for analysis. PARTICIPANTS: Participants ( 1701) enrolled in the ECS. RESULTS: Thirty-six percentage of participants were unaware of their diabetes, 33% aware and 31% normoglycaemic. Total mean intake of added sugar from SSB was higher among persons 40-49 (9·4 tsp/d), men (9·2 tsp/d) and persons with low education (7·0 tsp/d). Participants who were unaware (7·4 tsp/d) or did not have diabetes (7·6 tsp/d) had higher mean SSB intake compared to those with known diabetes (5·6 tsp/d). In multivariate analysis, total added sugar from beverages was not significantly associated with diabetes status. Results by beverage type showed consumption of added sugar from soda was associated with greater odds of known (OR = 1·37, 95 % CI (1·03, 1·82)) and unknown diabetes (OR = 1·54, 95 % CI (1·12, 2·13)). CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate the need for continued implementation and evaluation of policies and interventions to reduce SSB consumption in the Caribbean.

Department

Global Health

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