Trajectories of beverage consumption during adolescence

Abstract

Beverages contribute substantially to daily energy and nutrient intakes. However, little is known about the co-development of beverage consumption throughout adolescence. This study aimed to investigate the presence of naturally occurring sub-groups of girls and boys following distinct trajectories of various types of beverage consumption (i.e. sugary beverages, tea and coffee, water, and milk) throughout adolescence. During the Monitoring Activities for Teenagers to Comprehend their Habits study, data were collected from 744 Canadian youths followed for six years (2013-2019). The participants were asked yearly (start-age 10-11 years old) to report how many times they consumed sugary beverages, tea and coffee, water, and milk in a week. Trajectories of beverage consumption were identified from age 11 to 18 using a person-centred approach, namely group-based multi-trajectory modelling. For girls, three different groups were identified: 'Water consumers' (62.7%), 'High beverage consumers' (20.9%), and 'Water and milk consumers' (16.4%). For boys, four different groups were identified: 'Water consumers' (39.1%), 'Water and milk consumers' (30.5%), 'Sugary drinks, coffee and tea consumers' (20.1%), and 'High beverage consumers' (10.4%). This study illustrates the complexity of beverage consumption patterns in adolescence. Various types of public health messaging and interventions may be required to promote healthier beverage consumption patterns among all adolescents.

Keywords: Milk; Stimulants; Sugary beverages; Trajectory; Water; Youth.