Consumo de edulcorantes no nutritivos en bebidas carbonatadas en estudiantes universitarios de algunos países de LatinoAmérica

Abstract

Introduction: Consumption of carbonated beverages with nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS) is increasingly common in order to maintain a healthy weight, but the effect of NNS on body weight is controversial. Materials and methods: University students (n=1,229) of both sexes aged 18 to 26, of which 472 were from Chile, 300 of Panama, 253 from Guatemala and 204 of Peru. Each student was applied a frequency survey of weekly food consumption supported by photographs of beverages with NNS from each country to determine the intake of them. Also they underwent anthropometric measurements. Results: 80% of these students consumed carbonated beverages with NNS, none of them exceeded the acceptable daily intake for sucralose, potassium acesulfame and aspartame. Increased consumption in both men and women was observed in chilean students (p<0.05). For men of all countries the consumption of aspartame listed as a protective factor OR= 0.3 (IC=0.1-0.9). However in women of all countries, sucralose consumption shows a tendency to increase the risk of overweight/obesity OR=2.1 (0.9-4.5). Conclusions: Aspartame appears as a protective factor in men. Whereas in women, consumption of sucralose has a tendency to increase the risk of overweight/obesity.