title: [Association between non-nutritive sweeteners and obesity risk among university students in Latin America].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between non-nutritive sweeteners and obesity is controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners is related to higher risk for overweight or obesity among university students in Chile, Panama, Guatemala and Peru.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,224 (472 from Chile, 300 from Panama, 248 from Guatemala and 204 from Peru) male and female university students aged between 18 and 26 years participated in the study. Each student reported their food intake (frequency of weekly consumption) in a survey that contained photos of foods containing non-nutritive sweeteners adapted for each country. Anthropometry was also measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 80% of students consumed at least one product containing non-nutritive sweeteners. Females who ate acesulfame potassium and sucralose had a lower risk of overweight or obesity with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.5 (confidence intervals (CI) = 0.3-0.9; p = 0.003) and OR = 0.4 (IC = 0.2-0.8; p = 0.01), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample of Latinamerican university students, consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners was associated with lower risk of overweight only in females.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Durán Agúero
authors.forename: Estela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Blanco Batten
authors.forename: María del Pilar
authors.initials: Mdel P
authors.lastname: Rodríguez Noel
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cordón Arrivillaga
authors.forename: Julieta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salazar de Ariza
authors.forename: Jiniva
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Record Cornwall
authors.forename: María Del Pilar
authors.initials: Mdel P
authors.lastname: Cereceda Bujaico
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antezana Almorza
authors.forename: Sissy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Espinoza Bernardo
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Encina Vega
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006166:Guatemala / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D064306:Non-Nutritive Sweeteners / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010176:Panama / Q000453:epidemiology; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D010781:Photography; D065840:Protective Factors; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013843:Thiazines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D064306:Non-Nutritive Sweeteners; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D013843:Thiazines; D013395:Sucrose; C026285:trichlorosucrose; C006362:acetosulfame