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Prevalence of Low‐calorie Sweetener Intake in South Asian Adults
Author(s) -
Jin Yichen,
Sylvetsky Allison C.,
Kandula Namratha,
Kanaya Alka M.,
Talegawkar Sameera A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.788.4
Subject(s) - medicine , calorie , demography , environmental health , overweight , obesity , demographics , consumption (sociology) , population , cross sectional study , south asia , gerontology , social science , ethnology , pathology , sociology , history
The consumption of low‐calorie sweeteners (LCS), commonly found in diet beverages, reduced‐sugar foods, and tabletop packets, has increased rapidly over the past decades in the general United States (US) population, and has been found to be associated with increased cardiometabolic risk. However, no data exist regarding the prevalence of LCS consumption among South Asians, one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the US. We therefore conducted a cross‐sectional analysis to determine the prevalence of LCS use in a community‐based cohort of South Asians living in the US (the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study). Consumption of LCS, specifically diet soda and LCS packets, was assessed using a culturally appropriate and validated food‐frequency questionnaire. Chi‐squared and ANOVA tests were used to evaluate differences in LCS consumption with socio‐demographics, health characteristics, and metabolic risk. A total of 892 South Asians (47% women) were included for the analysis with mean age 55.3 (SD=9.4) y. Twenty‐two percent of South Asians reported consumption of LCS at least three servings per week, with higher consumption among older individuals (p=0.049), men (26% vs. 18%, p=0.003), participants with a longer length of residence in the US (p=0.048), and among those who spent more time in TV viewing (p<0.001). Higher prevalence of LCS consumption was also seen among participants with obesity (prevalence: 32% vs. 21%, p=0.006), those who had at least one chronic disease condition (prevalence: 28% vs. 16%, p<0.001), diabetes (47% vs. 17%, p<0.001), hypertension (29% vs. 17%, p<0.001) and in those with coronary artery calcification (Agatston score greater than 0; prevalence: 28% vs. 18%, p=0.001). Additionally, LCS consumption was associated with higher visceral (p=0.001) and subcutaneous fat (p=0.011), and waist circumference (p<0.001). Our findings emphasize the need to investigate potential metabolic effects of LCS use in already‐metabolically vulnerable South Asian individuals. Support or Funding Information The MASALA study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant number 1R01‐HL‐093009). Data collection at UCSF was also supported by NIH/NCRR UCSF‐CTSI (grant number UL1 RR024131)