Louis Jacob1, Brendon Stubbs2, Ai Koyanagi3. 1. Faculty of Medicine, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, 78180, France. Electronic address: louis.jacob.contacts@gmail.com. 2. Physiotherapy Department, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Denmark Hill, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom; Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Anglia Ruskin University, Chelmsford, United Kingdom. 3. Research and Development Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, CIBERSAM, Dr. Antoni Pujadas, 42, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, 08830, Spain; ICREA, Pg. Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Multinational studies on the relationship between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and suicidal behavior in youths are lacking. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the association between consumption of carbonated soft drinks and suicide attempts among adolescents from 6 high-income, 22 middle-income and 4 low-income countries. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the Global school-based student health survey (GSHS) were analyzed. Data on past 12-month suicide attempts and past 30-day carbonated soft drink consumption (number of times per day) were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analysis were conducted to assess associations. RESULTS: There were 105,061 adolescents (49.0% females) aged 12-15 years included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of suicide attempts and consumption of carbonated soft drinks ≥3 times/day were 10.2% and 10.7%, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders (i.e., sex, age, food insecurity, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, obesity, fruit and vegetable consumption, fast food consumption, country), compared to those who did not consume carbonated soft drinks, those who consumed 3 and ≥ 4 times/day were 1.36 (95%CI = 1.07-1.72) and 1.43 (95%CI = 1.14-1.80) times more likely to have reported an attempted suicide in the past 12 months, respectively. Country-wise analyses showed that consumption of carbonated soft drinks ≥3 times/day (vs. <3 times/day) was associated with higher odds for suicide attempts (i.e., OR>1) in 22 of the 32 included countries with the pooled OR (95%CI) based on a meta-analysis being 1.20 (1.12-1.28; I2 = 28.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that there is a positive association between consumption of carbonated soft drinks and suicide attempts in the past 12 months. Further studies should confirm/refute our findings and investigate the potential underlying mechanisms.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Multinational studies on the relationship between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and suicidal behavior in youths are lacking. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the association between consumption of carbonated soft drinks and suicide attempts among adolescents from 6 high-income, 22 middle-income and 4 low-income countries. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the Global school-based student health survey (GSHS) were analyzed. Data on past 12-month suicide attempts and past 30-day carbonated soft drink consumption (number of times per day) were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analysis were conducted to assess associations. RESULTS: There were 105,061 adolescents (49.0% females) aged 12-15 years included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of suicide attempts and consumption of carbonated soft drinks ≥3 times/day were 10.2% and 10.7%, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders (i.e., sex, age, food insecurity, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, obesity, fruit and vegetable consumption, fast food consumption, country), compared to those who did not consume carbonated soft drinks, those who consumed 3 and ≥ 4 times/day were 1.36 (95%CI = 1.07-1.72) and 1.43 (95%CI = 1.14-1.80) times more likely to have reported an attempted suicide in the past 12 months, respectively. Country-wise analyses showed that consumption of carbonated soft drinks ≥3 times/day (vs. <3 times/day) was associated with higher odds for suicide attempts (i.e., OR>1) in 22 of the 32 included countries with the pooled OR (95%CI) based on a meta-analysis being 1.20 (1.12-1.28; I2 = 28.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that there is a positive association between consumption of carbonated soft drinks and suicide attempts in the past 12 months. Further studies should confirm/refute our findings and investigate the potential underlying mechanisms.