Joint association of physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity in young U.S. adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2020

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the independent and joint association of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and physical activity with obesity among young U.S. adults. Methods: We selected 11,318 U.S. young adults aged 20–44 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2...

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Main Authors: Yuhang Liu, Ying Xu, Zhaohong Sun, Siyao Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Preventive Medicine Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525000828
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author Yuhang Liu
Ying Xu
Zhaohong Sun
Siyao Gao
author_facet Yuhang Liu
Ying Xu
Zhaohong Sun
Siyao Gao
author_sort Yuhang Liu
collection DOAJ
description Objective: This study aimed to investigate the independent and joint association of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and physical activity with obesity among young U.S. adults. Methods: We selected 11,318 U.S. young adults aged 20–44 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2020). Physical activity was self-reported using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, while SSBs consumption was calculated from a single day of twenty-four-hour dietary recall. Multivariable logistic regression models, and sensitivity analyses were used to estimate the associations between SSBs, physical activity, and obesity. Results: There were 4216 cases of obesity (35.5 %). A positive relationship between the consumption of SSBs and the prevalence of obesity was observed, while physical activity was negatively associated with the prevalence of obesity. Relative to the moderate SSBs consumption + inactive participants, those who were insufficiently active [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.75, 95 % CI: 0.58, 0.97] and physically active (AOR = 0.72, 95 % CI: 0.62, 0.85) had a lower likelihood of obesity among moderate SSBs consumers (1–499 kcal/day). However, this pattern was not found in the heavy SSBs consumers (≥ 500 kcal/day) (P > 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, physical activity was associated with a lower prevalence of obesity among moderate SSBs consumers, while this pattern did not observe in heavy SSBs consumers. Further studies are needed to validate these results and determine causality.
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spelling doaj-art-ed33283553ba489abbcffd4194a44c032025-08-20T02:54:39ZengElsevierPreventive Medicine Reports2211-33552025-05-015310304310.1016/j.pmedr.2025.103043Joint association of physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity in young U.S. adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2020Yuhang Liu0Ying Xu1Zhaohong Sun2Siyao Gao3School of Physical Education and Sports, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, PR ChinaDepartment of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, and College of Clinical Medicine of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, PR ChinaCollege of Physical Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, PR ChinaDepartment of Physical Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China; Corresponding author at: Department of Physical Education, Central South University, No.932 Lushan South Road, Yuelu District, Changsha 410083, PR China.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the independent and joint association of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and physical activity with obesity among young U.S. adults. Methods: We selected 11,318 U.S. young adults aged 20–44 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007–2020). Physical activity was self-reported using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, while SSBs consumption was calculated from a single day of twenty-four-hour dietary recall. Multivariable logistic regression models, and sensitivity analyses were used to estimate the associations between SSBs, physical activity, and obesity. Results: There were 4216 cases of obesity (35.5 %). A positive relationship between the consumption of SSBs and the prevalence of obesity was observed, while physical activity was negatively associated with the prevalence of obesity. Relative to the moderate SSBs consumption + inactive participants, those who were insufficiently active [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.75, 95 % CI: 0.58, 0.97] and physically active (AOR = 0.72, 95 % CI: 0.62, 0.85) had a lower likelihood of obesity among moderate SSBs consumers (1–499 kcal/day). However, this pattern was not found in the heavy SSBs consumers (≥ 500 kcal/day) (P > 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, physical activity was associated with a lower prevalence of obesity among moderate SSBs consumers, while this pattern did not observe in heavy SSBs consumers. Further studies are needed to validate these results and determine causality.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525000828Physical activitySugar-sweetened beveragesObesityYoung adultsNHANES
spellingShingle Yuhang Liu
Ying Xu
Zhaohong Sun
Siyao Gao
Joint association of physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity in young U.S. adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2020
Preventive Medicine Reports
Physical activity
Sugar-sweetened beverages
Obesity
Young adults
NHANES
title Joint association of physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity in young U.S. adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2020
title_full Joint association of physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity in young U.S. adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2020
title_fullStr Joint association of physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity in young U.S. adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2020
title_full_unstemmed Joint association of physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity in young U.S. adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2020
title_short Joint association of physical activity and sugar-sweetened beverages with obesity in young U.S. adults: A cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2007–2020
title_sort joint association of physical activity and sugar sweetened beverages with obesity in young u s adults a cross sectional analysis of nhanes 2007 2020
topic Physical activity
Sugar-sweetened beverages
Obesity
Young adults
NHANES
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335525000828
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