Consumo de bebidas azucaradas, agua y alcohol en adolescentes chilenos

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the consumption of sugary drinks, water, and alcohol among Chilean adolescents. Methods: This study analyzed secondary data from the Chilean National Health Survey (ENS) 2016-2017, focusing on adolescents aged 15 to 18 years. The consumption of sugary drinks, water, and alcohol, as well as anthropometric variables, were analyzed. Results: The study included 226 adolescents with a median age of 16 years (IQR 15.0-17.0), of whom 58.8% were female, and 84.9% resided in urban areas. It was found that 46.4% of the participants were overweight, and 24.1% had abdominal obesity risk. The regular consumption of sugary drinks was 87.6%, 44.7% consumed at least 1 alcoholic drink on a typical day, and 39.8% drank fewer than 3 glasses of water daily. There were no statistically significant differences in the behavior of the variables according to sex and nutritional status, but an increase in the proportion was observed as age increased. Conclusions: A high prevalence of consumption of sugary drinks and alcohol, along with low water intake, highlights the need to promote water as the primary source of hydration in both school and family environments.