The Study
Prediction of metabolic syndrome by a high intake of energy-dense nutrient-poor snacks in Iranian children and adolescents
This study watched a group of kids in Iran for a few years and noticed that those who ate more sugary and salty snacks were more likely to develop health problems later. But it didn’t prove the snacks caused the problems—maybe those kids also didn’t exercise much or ate other unhealthy foods.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at kids in Iran who ate lots of chips, cookies, and candy and saw if they got sick later.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 551 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — eating lots of sugary or salty snacks every day may raise a child’s risk of serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease, even if they aren’t overweight yet.
- 2Kids who ate the most junk snacks were about 3 times more likely to get metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure than kids who ate the least.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Pediatric Research
Year
2016
Authors
G. Asghari, E. Yuzbashian, P. Mirmiran, Z. Bahadoran, F. Azizi
Related Content
Claims (6)
In young people, insulin resistance and obesity develop as a result of long-term consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and low levels of physical activity.
Iranian children and adolescents who eat the most energy-dense, nutrient-poor snacks have 3.04 times higher odds of developing metabolic syndrome over 3.6 years than those who eat the least, after accounting for other factors like physical activity and body weight.
Iranian children and adolescents who ate the most sweet snacks were nearly three times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome over 3.6 years than those who ate the least, even after accounting for other diet and lifestyle habits.
Iranian children and adolescents who eat the most salty snacks are 2.85 times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome and 3.35 times more likely to develop hypertension over 3.6 years than those who eat the least.
In Iranian children and adolescents aged 6–18, eating snacks high in calories but low in nutrients is linked to a higher presence of metabolic syndrome, even when accounting for total calories consumed, physical activity, fiber intake, family diabetes history, and body weight.
In Iranian children and adolescents aged 6–18, eating energy-dense, nutrient-poor snacks—whether sweet or salty—is linked to metabolic syndrome, suggesting this risk applies to a general pattern of consuming processed foods rather than one specific type.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.