High intake of added sugar among Norwegian children and adolescents

Abstract

Objective: It is debated whether the intake of added sugar displaces micronutrientrich foods and dilutes the nutrient density of the diet, and whether there is a link between sugar and the increased rate of obesity. The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of added sugar on the intakes of energy, micronutrients, fruit and vegetables, and to examine the association between intake of added sugar and age, sex, body mass index, physical activity, inactivity and parents' education. Design: Participants recorded their food intake in pre-coded food diaries for 4 days and filled in a questionnaire about physical activity, watching television (TV)/using a personal computer (PC) and parents' education. Subjects: Three hundred and ninety-one 4-year-olds, 810 students in the 4th grade (9 years old) and 1005 in the 8th grade (13 years old) were included in the study. Results: The intakes of all nutrients, except a-tocopherol among 4-year-olds and vitamin C among 4-year-olds and 4th graders, decreased with increasing content of added sugar in the diet. Moreover, high consumers of added sugar had a 30-40% lower intake of fruit and vegetables than did low consumers. A negative association was observed between consumption of added sugar and body mass index among girls in the 8th grade (P ¼ 0.013), whereas a positive association was observed among 4-year-old boys (P ¼ 0.055). Associations between physical activity, hours spent watching TV/using a PC, parents' education and the energy intake from added sugar varied in the different age groups. Conclusions: This study showed a negative association between the intake of added sugar and intakes of micronutrients, fruit and vegetables. The negative association between sugar intake and intake of fruit and vegetables is important from a public health perspective, since one of the main health messages today is to increase current intake of fruit and vegetables.

The influence of dietary intake and meal pattern on blood glucose control in children and adolescents using intensive insulin treatment

“…Questionnaires Participants filled in a questionnaire, which included questions on meal frequency (missing values=5%) and parents' education (missing values=14%) (for further details see [20]). The meal frequency variable was recoded, and having breakfast, dinner and supper regularly was defined as having the meal more than five times a week.…”

Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes eat a more atherosclerosis-prone diet than healthy control subjects

“…The diabetic subjects were compared with healthy control subjects from the UNGKOST-2000-study [21]. A total of 810 students in 4th grade (9 years old) and 1,005 students in 8th grade (13 years old), drawn from a random national representative sample of 103 schools from 53 municipalities, participated.…”

“…Six of these children had diabetes and were excluded. The final sample included in the present study was 808 9-year-olds (participation rate: 81%) and 1,001 13-year-olds (participation rate: 84%) (for further details see [21]). …”

“…A nutritionist visited each class and gave oral and written instructions on how the diet should be recorded [21].…”

“…Each food group is supplemented with open-ended alternatives. Food amounts are presented in predefined household units or as portions estimated from photographs in a photographic booklet [21]. The food diary has been validated and the energy intake was found to be underestimated by 18% compared with energy expenditure measured by Acti Reg [23].…”