SynthesisFrontiers in nutrition2026
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
Synthesis in Frontiers in nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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4 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents. Previous studies have suggested a potential association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and ADHD or related symptoms; however, existing evidence remains inconsistent, and the magnitude of the association and sources of heterogeneity have not been comprehensively evaluated. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between SSB intake and ADHD or related symptoms in children and adolescents. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library from inception to January 2026 for observational studies assessing the association between SSB consumption and ADHD or related symptoms. Adjusted effect estimates, including odds ratios (ORs), hazard ratios (HRs), or risk ratios (RRs), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted and converted to ORs as the common summary measure. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed, with 95% CIs calculated using the Hartung-Knapp adjustment. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed using the I Results: Nine observational studies involving 461,109 children and adolescents were included. The meta-analysis showed that higher SSB consumption was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of ADHD or related symptoms (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02-1.48). Moderate heterogeneity was observed across studies (I Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with an increased likelihood of ADHD or related symptoms in children and adolescents. However, because all included evidence was derived from observational studies and was characterized by moderate heterogeneity, a prediction interval crossing the null, and potential publication bias, the findings should be interpreted with caution. Further high-quality prospective studies are needed to clarify the independent association and underlying mechanisms linking SSB intake to ADHD-related symptoms. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251186577, identifier CRD420251186577.
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