A new study has found that physical fitness may play a role in moderating the relationship between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and adiposity in schoolchildren. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Wyoming, looked at a group of 6th grade students in a rural Wyoming community and found that those who were more physically fit had a lower body mass index (BMI) even when they consumed more sugar-sweetened beverages than their less physically fit peers.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Stephanie Broyles, said that the findings suggest that physical fitness may help offset some of the adverse effects of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on body weight. “Although sugar-sweetened beverages are a major contributor to the obesity epidemic, our study findings suggest that physical fitness may help mitigate their impact on body weight,” she said.
The study’s co-author, Dr. Aaron Bean, added that the findings could have important implications for public health policy. “If policy makers are interested in reducing the prevalence of obesity, they may want to target sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and promote physical activity among school-aged children,” he said.
The study’s findings are in line with previous research that has shown a link between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and adiposity. However, this is the first study to examine the moderating role of physical fitness in this relationship. The findings suggest that physical activity should be promoted as a means of offsetting the adverse effects of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on body weight.
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is a major contributor to the rising rates of obesity in children and adolescents. Although the direct link between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and adiposity is well-established, the moderating role of physical fitness in this relationship is lesser known.
A recent study investigated the moderating role of physical fitness in the relationship between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and adiposity in a sample of schoolchildren. The study found that physical fitness buffered the effects of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on adiposity. In other words, children who were more physically fit were less likely to be affected by the adverse effects of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on adiposity.
This is an important finding as it suggests that physical activity can help protect children from the harmful effects of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on obesity. Therefore, promotion of physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents should be a priority in obesity prevention efforts.
