[Association between consumption of soft drinks, fruit juice, and milk and body mass index among public school students in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil].

The association between consumption of soft drinks, fruit juice, and milk and body mass index (BMI) was evaluated in 1,423 students 9 to 16 years of age from public schools in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Beverage intake was measured using 24-hour recall and a food frequency questionnaire. Weight and height were measured to calculate BMI. Regression analyses took into account the cluster (classes) effect. Analyses were stratified by gender and adjusted for physical activity and age. The results showed a positive association between soft drink intake and age (p = 0.05) and a negative association between milk and age (p = 0.004). For girls only, there was a significant association between frequent fruit juice intake and BMI (beta = 0.02; p = 0.03). For the other beverages, there were no significant associations between BMI and frequent consumption in either gender. Soft drinks and juices accounted for 20% of mean daily energy intake. The results showed that efforts to reduce energy intake from beverages should include consumption of fruit juice.