Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and energy drinks and adherence to physical activity and screen time recommendations among adolescents

Background: It is recommended that youth aged 12-17 years achieve ≥60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA) and limit their recreational screen time (ST) to ≤2 h/day. However, whether unhealthy eating behavior is associated with adherence to PA and ST recommendations in youth is largely unknown.

Objective: This study examined the associations between adherence to PA and ST recommendations with consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and energy drinks (EDs) in a representative sample of adolescents.

Methods: Data on 11-19-year-old Ottawa (Canada) students (n=1147) were analyzed using self-reported information on consumption of SSBs and EDs, and time devoted to PA and ST. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between adherence to PA and ST recommendations and consumption of SSBs and EDs.

Results: Adherence to the ST recommendation was inversely associated with consumption of SSBs [odds ratio (OR)=0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.21-0.86] and EDs (OR=0.54, 95% CI=0.31-0.92) in females only, independent of PA and relevant covariates. However, adherence to the PA recommendation was positively associated with consumption of EDs in females (OR=1.52, 95% CI=1.07-2.17) but not males, while it was not associated with consumption of SSBs in both sexes.

Conclusion: Among female adolescents, adherence to the ST recommendation is inversely associated with consumption of SSBs and EDs, while adherence to the PA recommendation is positively associated with consumption of EDs. Future studies should clarify the observed sex differences and determine if decreasing ST can reduce the consumption of SSBs and EDs among adolescents.