Abstract PR014: Sugar Intake and premature aging in adult survivors of childhood cancer in the St. Jude Lifetime (SJLIFE) Cohort
Authors: Lan Tuo , Wang Mei , Williams AnnaLynn M. , Ehrhardt Matthew J. , Finch Emily R. , Lanctot Jennifer Q. , Jiang Shu , Krull Kevin R. , Armstrong Gregory T. , Hudson Melissa M. , Colditz Graham A. , Robison Leslie , Ness Kirsten K. , Park Yikyung 
Published: January 2023

Background: In the general population, sugar intake is associated with a wide range of adverse health conditions related to premature aging, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk of premature aging and mortality compared to their healthy peers and may be especially vulnerable to adverse consequences of excess sugar intake. Objective: To examine the association between sugar and sugar-sweetened beverage intake and premature aging in childhood cancer survivors. Method: A total of 3,322 adult survivors of childhood cancer (age range 18-65 years; mean age: 31 years) in SJLIFE self-reported their typical diet using the 110-item Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. Added sugars included all sugars added to foods during preparation or processing. Total sugar-sweetened beverages are the sum of regular and diet soda and fruit-flavored drinks. Survivors’ sociodemographics, cancer histories, and health conditions were abstracted from medical records. Premature aging was assessed using the Deficit Accumulation Index (DAI) that was a ratio of the number of age-related chronic health conditions each survivor had out of 45 conditions total. The DAI was categorized into low (&lt;0.2), medium (0.2-0.34), and high (&gt;0.35) aging risk groups. Multinomial logistic regressions (reference: low aging risk group) adjusting for confounders, including sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, cancer treatments, and overall diet quality, were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Survivors’ average total sugar intake was 120 g/day and added sugar intake was 71 g/day. 41% of survivors consumed sugar-sweetened beverages ≥1 time/day, and 26% consumed soda daily; 75% of soda consumed was regular (vs. diet). Survivors with higher consumption of sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages were more likely to be non-Hispanic Black and have lower educational attainment and income. Total sugar intake was associated with a significantly increased risk of premature aging (per 25 g/1,000 kcal increment, OR=1.31 [95% CI: 1.00-1.70] in the medium-risk group; OR=1.52 [95% CI: 1.03-2.25] in the high-risk group). Added sugar intake was associated with a 19% (OR=1.19, 95% CI: 1.07-1.31, per 20 g/1,000 kcal increment) and an 18% (OR=1.18, 95% CI: 1.02-1.37) increased risk of premature aging in the medium- and high-risk group, respectively. Consuming ≥2 servings/day (vs. ≤ 1/week) of total sugar-sweetened beverage was also related to an increased risk of premature aging (OR=1.54 [95% CI: 0.83-2.83] in the medium-risk group; OR=6.71 [95% CI: 2.95-15.2] in the high-risk group). Regular soda, but not diet soda, consumption was associated with premature aging risk. Conclusion: Higher consumption of sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with an increased risk of premature aging in childhood cancer survivors. Intervention efforts to reduce sugar intake among this vulnerable population are needed.

Citation Format: Tuo Lan, Mei Wang, AnnaLynn M. Williams, Matthew J. Ehrhardt, Emily R. Finch, Jennifer Q. Lanctot, Shu Jiang, Kevin R. Krull, Gregory T. Armstrong, Melissa M. Hudson, Graham A. Colditz, Leslie Robison, Kirsten K. Ness, Yikyung Park. Sugar Intake and premature aging in adult survivors of childhood cancer in the St. Jude Lifetime (SJLIFE) Cohort [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Aging and Cancer; 2022 Nov 17-20; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;83(2 Suppl_1):Abstract nr PR014.