Nutrients
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Childhood Obesity: A Life-Course Perspective
By Bianca Simionescu, Ancuța Lupu, Alexandra Sidoreac and 10 others.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Childhood obesity represents a major global health challenge. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) remain an important modifiable dietary exposure; however, adolescent beverage behavior is often examined independently of dietary patterns established earlier in life. This narrative review examines SSB consumption and adiposity across the life course, particularly during the first 1000 days as a sensitive period for developing dietary habits.
Methods
Targeted literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2021–13 August 2026). We prioritized systematic reviews, meta-analyses, prospective cohort studies, randomized trials, and mechanistically informative studies. Study selection was purposive, and causal language was reserved for rigorous designs.
