Longitudinal study on the association between sugar-sweetened beverage intake trajectories and suicide-related behaviors in children

Zhonghua Liu Xing Bing Xue Za Zhi. 2026 Mar 10;47(3):481-487. doi: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112338-20250715-00490.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore the prospective effects of sugar-sweetened beverage(SSB) intake trajectories on children’s suicide-related behaviors. Methods: Based on three waves of data from the China Child Nutrition and Growth Cohort, group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was used to identify developmental patterns of SSB intake trajectories. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to analyze the associations between SSB intake trajectories and suicidal ideation, suicide plans, and suicide attempts. Results: A total of 978 children aged 9-13 years were included in the analysis, of whom 545 (55.72%) were boys. GBTM identified three distinct SSB intake trajectories: a slow-increasing group (70.55%), a rapid-increasing group (7.98%), and a rise-then-decline group (21.47%). Compared with the slow-increasing group, children in the rapid-increasing group and the rise-then-decline group exhibited a higher prevalence of suicide-related behaviors. After adjusting for relevant confounding factors, the rise-then-decline intake trajectory group showed significantly increased risks of suicidal ideation (OR=2.53, 95%CI: 1.02-6.25), suicide plans (OR=3.16, 95%CI: 1.11-9.01), and suicide attempts (OR=6.67, 95%CI: 1.67-15.96) compared to the slow-increasing group. Conclusion: Children whose SSB intake demonstrates a rise-then-decline pattern are at an increased risk of engaging in suicide-related behaviors.

PMID:41876180 | DOI:10.3760/cma.j.cn112338-20250715-00490