Polygenic Risk Scores and the Risk of Childhood Overweight/Obesity in Association With the Consumption of Sweetened Beverages: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Lachlan Sycamnias; Jessica A Kerr; Katherine Lange; Richard Saffery; Yichao Wang; Melissa Wake; Tim Olds; Terry Dwyer; David Burgner; Anneke C Grobler

doi:10.1089/chi.2023.0012

Polygenic Risk Scores and the Risk of Childhood Overweight/Obesity in Association With the Consumption of Sweetened Beverages: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Child Obes. 2023 Oct 18. doi: 10.1089/chi.2023.0012. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Lachlan Sycamnias^{1

2}, Jessica A Kerr^{1

2

3}, Katherine Lange^{1

2}, Richard Saffery^{1

2}, Yichao Wang^{1

2

4}, Melissa Wake^{1

2

5}, Tim Olds^{1

6}, Terry Dwyer^{1

7}, David Burgner^{1

2

8}, Anneke C Grobler^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
² Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
³ Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand.
⁴ Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
⁶ Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁷ Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
⁸ Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.

PMID: 37851993
DOI: 10.1089/chi.2023.0012

Abstract

Background: Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and non-nutritive sweetened beverage (NNSB) consumption is associated with obesity and are targets for population-level dietary interventions. In children (<16 years), we evaluate whether SSB or NNSB consumption is associated with subsequent (2 years later) overweight and/or obesity, and the effect of consumption on subsequent overweight/obesity differs by BMI polygenic risk score (BMI-PRS). Methods: The nationally representative Longitudinal-Study-of-Australian-Children had biennial data collection from birth (n = 5107) until age 14/15 years (n = 3127). At age 11/12 years, a comprehensive biomedical assessment, including PRS assessment, was undertaken (n = 1422). Parent- or self-reported beverage consumption (SSBs: soft drinks, energy drinks, and/or juice; NNSBs: diet drinks) was measured as any/none over previous 24 hours. BMI-PRS was derived using published results (high PRS ≥75th percentile). At ages 4/5-14/15 children were classified as having obesity, overweight/obesity, or not having overweight/obesity using BMI z-score (CDC cut points). Results: SSB consumption had limited association with subsequent overweight/obesity. NNSB consumption was associated with ∼8% more children with subsequent overweight/obesity at most ages. In older children with high BMI-PRS, associations between NNSB consumption and subsequent overweight/obesity strengthened with age [at age 14-15 for high BMI-PRS, difference in proportion with overweight/obesity among NNSB consumers vs. nonconsumers = 0.38 (95% confidence interval: 0.22 to 0.55, p ≤ 0.001)]. There was limited association between SSB consumption and BMI-PRS. Conclusion: NNSB consumption was associated with increased risk of overweight/obesity for children with greater genetic risk at older ages (12-15 years). Focused intervention among children with high genetic risk could target NNSB consumption; however, reverse causality (children with genetic risk and/or high BMI consume more NNSBs) cannot be excluded.

Keywords: BMI z-score; children; non-nutritive sweetened beverages; obesity; polygenic risk score for BMI; sugar-sweetened beverages.