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Sources and intakes of added sugars in the United States
Author(s) -
Ellwood Kathleen,
Shimakawa Tomoko,
Brandt Mary
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.5.a307-d
Subject(s) - added sugar , national health and nutrition examination survey , calorie , food science , food group , sugar , nutrient , obesity , serving size , nutrition facts label , dietary sucrose , environmental health , medicine , chemistry , population , organic chemistry , endocrinology
Several recent articles have been written about the health implications of sugars, especially added sugars, to the food supply. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans key recommendations included choosing and preparing foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners. In 2004, the FDA Obesity Working Group recommended possible changes to the food label that centered on calories. The Nutrition Facts panel lists nutrients, including sugars, as the quantitative “amount per serving” (g). The value for sugars represents the sum of all free mono‐ and disaccharides. Added sugars are provided by name in the food ingredients list. To determine the mean intake of added sugars for individuals 2 years and older, we analyzed the USDA Food Pyramid Servings Database intake files for What We Eat In America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001–2002. Teenagers and young adults had the highest intakes of added sugars. The primary sources of added sugars were the sugars, sweets, and beverages category, followed by grain products. Except for the very young and the elderly, the greatest contributor of added sugars in the diet was regular carbonated soft drinks. These results are consistent with previous findings on the consumption of added sugars in the United States. It is important to identify sources of nutrients from the food supply and their contribution to the overall diet in all age/gender groups.