Egho Cynthia, Al Zahraa Chokor Fatima, Ouaijan Krystel, Hwalla Nahla, Nasreddine Lara
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, (AUB), Beirut, 1107 2020, Lebanon.
College of Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
BMC Pediatr. 2025 Jul 2;25(1):492. doi: 10.1186/s12887-025-05860-w.
Although dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) have been proposed to modulate overweight risk, evidence in preschoolers remains scarce and contentious, and lacking in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). This cross-sectional national survey investigated the association of dietary GI and GL with overweight/obesity in Lebanese preschoolers (n = 518; aged 2-5 years).
The study is based on a national cross-sectional survey conducted in 2012/2013 "Early Life Nutrition and Health, ELNAHL". Sociodemographic data were obtained using a multi-component questionnaire, and anthropometric characteristics were measured. The 24 h recall approach was used to collect dietary data. The calculations of daily dietary GI and GL were based on available carbohydrates (and repeated using total carbohydrates). Three logistic regression models were performed to investigate the association of dietary GI and GL with overweight/obesity, per unit and per 10-unit increases.
In this study sample, 9.5% of the preschool children were found to be overweight/obese. Average dietary GI was determined at 56.1 ± 0.3 and dietary GL at 99.2 ± 1.8, when using available carbohydrates. The full regression model (model 3) which was adjusted for demographic/socioeconomic variables and energy and macronutrients' intakes, showed a significant association between dietary GI and overweight/obesity, per unit and per 10 units increases (odds ratio (OR): 1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-1.11 and OR: 2.67; 95% CI: 2.45-2.92, respectively), while only a slight association was observed for GL (OR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.01 and OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.07 for 1 unit and 10 units increases of GL, respectively). Similar results were obtained when using total carbohydrates for GI and GL calculations.
This study shows that each 10-unit increase in dietary GI was linked with approximately three-fold higher odds of overweight/obesity amongst Lebanese preschoolers, suggesting that dietary GI may be of public health significance in the epidemic of childhood overweight.
尽管膳食血糖生成指数（GI）和血糖负荷（GL）被认为可调节超重风险，但有关学龄前儿童的证据仍然稀少且存在争议，而东地中海地区（EMR）更是缺乏此类研究。这项全国性横断面调查研究了黎巴嫩学龄前儿童（n = 518；年龄2至5岁）的膳食GI和GL与超重/肥胖之间的关联。
该研究基于2012/2013年开展的一项全国性横断面调查“早期生活营养与健康，ELNAHL”。使用多成分问卷获取社会人口统计学数据，并测量人体测量特征。采用24小时回顾法收集膳食数据。每日膳食GI和GL的计算基于可利用碳水化合物（并使用总碳水化合物重复计算）。进行了三个逻辑回归模型，以研究膳食GI和GL每单位增加以及每10单位增加与超重/肥胖之间的关联。
在本研究样本中，发现9.5%的学龄前儿童超重/肥胖。使用可利用碳水化合物时，膳食平均GI为56.1±0.3，膳食GL为99.2±1.8。在针对人口统计学/社会经济变量以及能量和常量营养素摄入量进行调整的完全回归模型（模型3）中，显示膳食GI每单位增加以及每10单位增加与超重/肥胖之间存在显著关联（优势比（OR）：1.10；95%置信区间（CI）：1.09 - 1.11以及OR：2.67；95% CI：2.45 - 2.92），而对于GL仅观察到轻微关联（GL每增加1单位和10单位时，OR分别为1.01，95% CI：1.00，1.01以及OR：1.05，95% CI：1.04，1.07）。在使用总碳水化合物计算GI和GL时获得了类似结果。
本研究表明，黎巴嫩学龄前儿童的膳食GI每增加10单位，超重/肥胖几率就会高出约三倍，这表明膳食GI在儿童超重流行中可能具有公共卫生意义。
