October 2016 Article Summary

Added Sugars Intake Across the Distribution of US Children and Adult Consumers: 1977-2012. 

Elyse S. Powell; Lindsey P. Smith-Taillie, PhD; Barry M. Popkin, Phd

Added sugars are in many processed foods and over-consumption has become a major health concern in the United States. It has been shown that consuming added sugars is associated with negative health outcomes such as reduced diet quality, increased energy intake, cardiovascular disease mortality, and dental cavities. In 2015, the dietary guidelines released recommended added sugars to be less than 10% of total energy intake. Additionally, added sugars are being added to the new nutrition facts labels that was approved in 2016. Research shows that added sugars contribution to calories in the diet increased from 1977-2000 and then began to decrease from 1999 through 2008 for both children and adults. 

This studies objectives were (1) to examine whether declines in added sugars intake in the early 2000’s continued through 2012, (2) investigate the contributors of added sugars from food and beverages, (3) document shifts in added sugars intake across the distribution consumption, (4) find out which sociodemographic characteristics are associated with the highest added sugar consumers. Six cross-sectional surveys that were nationally representative of food intake in the United States were utilized.  24-hour recalls administered through an interviewer were used to collect data on food and beverage consumption and the USDA’s MyPyramid Equivalencies Database was used to examine consumption of added sugars. The dependent variables of this study examined at the mean were calories from added sugar and percentage of total energy intake from added sugars. The variables examined across the survey years were added sugar consumption for children and adults. Estimates were adjusted by race, income, sex, and education. 

Results indicated that mean adjusted added sugars intake among children increased from 1977-1978 to 2003-2004, but then declined from 2011-2012. No change occurred from 2009 – 2012. Mean adjusted added sugar intake among adults followed a similar trend. Total calories consumed from added sugars also increased from 1977-2003 but there were no significant declines through 2012. For children and adults, added sugars consumed from beverages rose significantly between 1977-1978 and 2003-2004 but then decreased between 2003-2004 and 2011 and 2012. Additionally, the adjusted mean intake of calories from added sugar rose from 1977-1978 to 2011-2012 for both adults and children, followed by declines from 2003-2012. Female children and adults were less likely to be in the highest quartile for calories consumed from added sugars. These results indicate that the downward trend of added sugar consumption had continued from the early 2000’s. Overall, it was shown that there has been a greater reduction of added sugars consumed from beverages while added sugars from foods show no significant change. 

AND Continuing Education Article:

Powell, S. E., Smith-Taillie, P. L., Popkin, M. B., (2016). Added sugars intake across the distribution of US children and adult consumers: 1977-2012. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(10), 1543-1550. doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.06.003.

 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.06.003