Sugars consumption in a low-income sample of British young people and adults

• Published in: British dental journal Vol. 215; no. 1; p. E2
• Main Authors: Ntouva, A., Tsakos, G., Watt, R. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.07.2013; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/700/478/174; 706/648/160; Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Child; Dentistry; Diet; Dietary Carbohydrates - administration & dosage; Educational Status; Employment - statistics & numerical data; Energy; Energy Intake; Epidemiology; Family Characteristics; Feeding Behavior - classification; Female; Food; Households; Humans; Income - statistics & numerical data; Life Style; Low income groups; Male; Males; Medicine; Middle Aged; Nutrition research; Nutrition Surveys; Population; Poverty - statistics & numerical data; Questionnaires; Recommended Dietary Allowances; Sex Factors; Social Class; Socioeconomic factors; Sugar; United Kingdom; Vulnerable Populations - statistics & numerical data; Young Adult; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 0007-0610; 1476-5373; 1476-5373
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bdj.2013.655

Key Points Provides an overview of macronutrient intakes in two UK populations. Improves understanding of the differences in sugars consumption between a deprived and a general population sample. Offers insight into how different socioeconomic factors affect sugar consumption in a low income population. Objective To report the consumption of non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES) among a low-income UK sample, compare it with nationally representative estimates and examine the association between socioeconomic position and NMES consumption among low income adults. Design Secondary analysis of the Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey (LIDNS) data. Setting and subjects Two thousand, seven hundred and ninety-six adults and 415 young people from 2,477 households. Main outcome measures Mean NMES intakes (grams) and their percentage contribution to food energy, from dietary data collected via a 24-hour recall 'multiple pass' method. Results The low income sample consumed more NMES than the general population sample. The percentage of food energy from NMES exceeded the 11% target, especially among adolescents (17.2% in males, 16.3% in females). After adjusting for age, men who finished full-time education aged 16 years consumed significantly more sugar (p = 0.028), whereas those who finished aged 18 consumed significantly less sugar (p = 0.023) than the reference group (finished aged 15). No significant associations were found between NMES and socioeconomic variables in women. Conclusion Compared to the general population, the nutritional disadvantage of the most deprived segments of society relates primarily to excessive NMES consumption. In men, higher educational level appears to play a protective role against high sugar intakes.