Purpose: To examine the prospective relevance of
dietary sugar intake (based on dietary data as well as urinary excretion data) in adolescent years for
insulin sensitivity and
biomarkers of
inflammation in young adulthood. Methods: Overall 254 participants of the DONALD study who had at least two 3-day weighed dietary records for calculating intakes of
fructose,
glucose,
sucrose, total, free, added
sugars, total
sugars from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), juice, and sweets/
sugar or at least two complete 24 h urine samples (n = 221) for calculating
sugar excretion (urinary
fructose and urinary
fructose +
sucrose) in adolescence (females: 9-15 years, males: 10-16 years) and a fasting blood sample in adulthood (18-36 years), were included in multivariable linear regression analyses assessing their prospective associations with adult homeostasis model assessment
insulin sensitivity (HOMA2-%S) and a pro-inflammatory score (based on CRP, IL-6, IL-18,
leptin, chemerin,
adiponectin). Results: On the dietary intake level, no prospective associations were observed between adolescent
fructose,
sucrose,
glucose, added, free, total
sugar, or total
sugar from SSB, juice or sweets/
sugar intake and adult HOMA2-%S (p > 0.01). On the urinary level, however, higher excreted
fructose levels were associated with improved adult HOMA2-%S (p = 0.008) among females only. No associations were observed between dietary or urinary
sugars and the adult pro-inflammatory score (p > 0.01). Conclusion: The present study did not provide support that
dietary sugar consumed in adolescence is associated with adult
insulin sensitivity. The one potential exception was the moderate dietary consumption of
fructose, which showed a beneficial association with adult fasting
insulin and
insulin sensitivity.