The relation of sugar intake to β cell function in overweight Latino children

Background: Few studies have investigated the association between sugar intake and insulin dynamics in children, and none have examined this association in overweight Latino youth. Objective: We aimed to examine the relation between dietary components, especially sugar intake, and insulin dynamics in overweight Latino youth. Design: We examined 63 overweight Latino children aged 9-13 y. Dietary intake was determined by 3-d records, and body composition was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Insulin sensitivity (S_I), acute insulin response (AIR), and disposition index (an index of β cell function) were measured by using a frequently sampled intravenous-glucose- tolerance test and minimal modeling. Hierarchical regression analysis ascertained the potential independent relation between insulin dynamics and dietary components. Results: The relation between macronutrient intake and any variable related to insulin dynamics was not significant. However, higher total sugar intake, although not related to S_I, was significantly associated with lower AIR (β = -0.296, P = 0.045) and lower β cell function (β = -0.421, P = 0.043), independent of the covariates age, sex, body composition, Tanner stage, and energy intake. Sugar-sweetened beverage intakes trended toward inverse association with lower AIR (β = -0.219, P = 0.072) and β cell function (β = -0.298, P = 0.077). Conclusions: In overweight Latino children, higher intakes of sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages were associated with lower AIR and disposition index, which suggested that these children already have early signs of poor β cell function. These results emphasize the need for early nutritional interventions to reduce daily sugar intake in overweight Latino children and potentially reduce their risk for type 2 diabetes.