WIP 97 - Unmet Social Needs and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake In Youth with Hypertension

Poster Number: WIP 97
Publication Number: WIP 97.976

Background: Excessive adiposity as occurs in obesity is the most common risk factor for developing hypertension over a person’s life course. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are associated with a higher risk for obesity. Preliminary studies have shown possible associations between unmet social needs and the consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages in adults and youth. Despite this, the role that unmet social needs play in SSB intake in youth with hypertension has not been investigated.

Objective: Investigate the association between unmet social needs and SSB intake in youth with hypertension.

Design/Methods: This is an ongoing prospective, cross-sectional study of youth with hypertension disorders recruited from a subspecialty hypertension clinic. Inclusion criteria were youth who were diagnosed with hypertension, received care for at least one month, and were 8-18 years old. New patients who presented for their first clinic visit and those who were not English-speaking were excluded, as were those with complex heart disease, those who were pregnant, or those who received nutrition through a gastrostomy tube or hyperalimentation. Participants were required to complete consent/assent forms. SSB intake and unmet social needs were measured using validated questionnaires administered in the clinic. We are recruiting 42 participants based on sample size calculations. Analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test to compare proportions between the high SSB intake group (≥2/day) and the unmet social needs group (≥1 unmet social need). This study is IRB approved and 14 participants have been enrolled to date. We aim to finalize recruitment by 03/01/2024.