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Sugars consumption by 379 11–12‐year‐old English children in 1990 compared with results in 1980
Author(s) -
RuggGunn A. J.,
Adamson A. J.,
Appleton D. R.,
Butler T. J.,
Hackett A. F.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of human nutrition and dietetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1365-277X
pISSN - 0952-3871
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-277x.1993.tb00387.x
Subject(s) - medicine , consumption (sociology) , total energy , zoology , food science , pediatrics , psychology , social science , chemistry , sociology , displacement (psychology) , psychotherapist , biology
The amount of sugars consumed by young adolescents was assessed in 1990 using the same methods as those employed in a similar survey in 1980. The children were the same age (mean 11 years 6 months) and from the same seven schools in both surveys. In 1980 405 children completed the study and 379 in 1990. Information was collected using two 3‐day dietary diaries, each child being interviewed by a dietitian upon completion of a diary. The dietitian in this study was calibrated closely with the dietitian who undertook the 1980 study so as to ensure comparable diet evaluation methods. Total sugars consumption was unchanged (117 g/day in 1980, 118 g/day in 1990) but consumption of non‐milk extrinsic sugars increased (83 g/day in 1980, 90 g/day in 1990) and milk and intrinsic sugars decreased (34 g/day in 1980, 28 g/day in 1990) between the two surveys. In 1990, non‐milk extrinsic sugars contributed 17% to total dietary energy intake, while milk and intrinsic sugars contributed 5%. There was little difference in per cent contributions between the sexes, but some social‐class trends were apparent. Confectionery provided 33% and soft drinks provided 27% of non‐milk extrinsic sugars, these two dietary sources providing 60% of non‐milk extrinsic or 46% of total sugars intake. These levels of consumption are considerably higher than those currently recommended in the UK.