Association between Family and School Pressures, Consumption of Ultra-Processed Beverages, and Obesity in Preadolescents: A School-Based Epidemiological Study
Ioannis Gketsios,
Thomas Tsiampalis,
Alexandra Foscolou,
Ioanna Panagiota Kalafati,
Tonia Vassilakou,
Aikaterini Kanellopoulou,
Venetia Notara,
George Antonogeorgos,
Andrea Paola Rojas-Gil,
Odysseas Androutsos,
Ekaterina N. Kornilaki,
Areti Lagiou,
Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos,
Rena I. Kosti
Affiliations
Ioannis Gketsios
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sports and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
Thomas Tsiampalis
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sports and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
Alexandra Foscolou
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sports and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
Ioanna Panagiota Kalafati
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sports and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
Tonia Vassilakou
Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece
Aikaterini Kanellopoulou
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Venetia Notara
Department of Public and Community Health, Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece
George Antonogeorgos
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Andrea Paola Rojas-Gil
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Peloponnese, 22100 Tripoli, Greece
Odysseas Androutsos
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sports and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
Ekaterina N. Kornilaki
Department of Preschool Education, School of Education, University of Crete, 74100 Rethymnon, Greece
Areti Lagiou
Department of Public and Community Health, Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece
Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece
Rena I. Kosti
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sports and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, 42132 Trikala, Greece
The aim of the present work was two-fold. Firstly, to evaluate the association between the consumption of ultra-processed beverages (UPB) on preadolescents’ likelihood of being obese. Secondly, to investigate the potential impact of family and school environmental stressors on this unhealthy lifestyle habit. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1718 Greek preadolescents and their parents, during the school years 2014 to 2016. Parental and child characteristics were collected anonymously, through self-administered and validated questionnaires. Among others, UPB consumption (soft and flavored drinks) was recorded, classifying children as low, moderate, or high consumers, while anthropometric characteristics [height, body weight, Body Mass Index (BMI)] were also recorded. Almost seven out of ten preadolescents were classified as at least moderate UPB consumers, while approximately three out of ten were classified as high UPB consumers. Higher UPB consumption was associated with significantly higher levels of BMI, while preadolescents living in a more stressful family and school environment were found to consume significantly higher amounts of UPB. Stakeholders should implement programs that raise awareness among parents and teachers about the sources of stress in preadolescence as a potential “triggering factor” of unhealthy dietary preferences.
