Trends in Sweetness of the Diet in the United Kingdom: 2008/9 through 2018/19
Reducing sugars consumption is an important public health priority. Because reducing one’s sugar intake is challenging, some organizations have suggested reducing the consumption of all sweet-tasting foods and beverages, regardless of the source of the sweet taste (i.e., caloric or low/no calorie sw...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-02-01
|
| Series: | Proceedings |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/261 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850280047282225152 |
|---|---|
| author | Inga Kutepova Alison Kamil Alissa R. Wilson Colin D. Rehm |
| author_facet | Inga Kutepova Alison Kamil Alissa R. Wilson Colin D. Rehm |
| author_sort | Inga Kutepova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reducing sugars consumption is an important public health priority. Because reducing one’s sugar intake is challenging, some organizations have suggested reducing the consumption of all sweet-tasting foods and beverages, regardless of the source of the sweet taste (i.e., caloric or low/no calorie sweeteners (LCSs)), due to the assumed correlation between dietary sweetness and sugars intake. Descriptive data summarizing patterns and trends in the overall sweetness of the diet may help inform dietary recommendations. For this cross-sectional study, dietary information was collected from 15,655 participants aged ≥1.5 year, as part of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (NDNS RP) over the course of four consecutive days between 2008/09 and 2018/19. Products that were sweetened with LCS were matched to their sugar-sweetened equivalents (e.g., a regular beverage with sugars and a diet beverage with LCS). The amount of sweetness in an individual’s diet was quantified in terms of grams of ASE (approximate sugar equivalent) per day. During the study period, the ASE of the diet declined by approximately 10%. The estimated ASE of the diet per 2000 calories was 96.7 g/d for children and 113.8 g/d for adults. Approximately one-fifth of the total ASE was from LCSs. There was evidence of a non-linear trend over time, with ASE levels remaining relatively stable between 2008/09 and 2014/15, and then declining. The amount of ASE coming from LCS sources increased, going from 8g/d to 12.6 g/d. The overall change in total sugars and ASE was more apparent for beverages compared to foods (ASE values decreased by 20.7% for beverages vs. 4.4% for foods), but both decreased significantly. In the UK, there has been a shift in both the overall sweetness of the diet, as well as the total amount of sugars consumed. This is partly attributable to the reformulation of products, as well as changes in preferences among consumers. According to the findings of this study, the sweetness levels in the diets of the UK population are declining over time. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-00dfcc1e7e2d462fa322c0ab5c3d6cd5 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2504-3900 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Proceedings |
| spelling | doaj-art-00dfcc1e7e2d462fa322c0ab5c3d6cd52025-08-20T01:48:54ZengMDPI AGProceedings2504-39002024-02-0191126110.3390/proceedings2023091261Trends in Sweetness of the Diet in the United Kingdom: 2008/9 through 2018/19Inga Kutepova0Alison Kamil1Alissa R. Wilson2Colin D. Rehm3Life Sciences, PepsiCo R&D, Reading RG2 6UW, UKLife Sciences, PepsiCo R&D, Chicago, IL 60661-3605, USALife Sciences, PepsiCo R&D, Reading RG2 6UW, UKLife Sciences, PepsiCo R&D, Purchase, NY 10577, USAReducing sugars consumption is an important public health priority. Because reducing one’s sugar intake is challenging, some organizations have suggested reducing the consumption of all sweet-tasting foods and beverages, regardless of the source of the sweet taste (i.e., caloric or low/no calorie sweeteners (LCSs)), due to the assumed correlation between dietary sweetness and sugars intake. Descriptive data summarizing patterns and trends in the overall sweetness of the diet may help inform dietary recommendations. For this cross-sectional study, dietary information was collected from 15,655 participants aged ≥1.5 year, as part of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme (NDNS RP) over the course of four consecutive days between 2008/09 and 2018/19. Products that were sweetened with LCS were matched to their sugar-sweetened equivalents (e.g., a regular beverage with sugars and a diet beverage with LCS). The amount of sweetness in an individual’s diet was quantified in terms of grams of ASE (approximate sugar equivalent) per day. During the study period, the ASE of the diet declined by approximately 10%. The estimated ASE of the diet per 2000 calories was 96.7 g/d for children and 113.8 g/d for adults. Approximately one-fifth of the total ASE was from LCSs. There was evidence of a non-linear trend over time, with ASE levels remaining relatively stable between 2008/09 and 2014/15, and then declining. The amount of ASE coming from LCS sources increased, going from 8g/d to 12.6 g/d. The overall change in total sugars and ASE was more apparent for beverages compared to foods (ASE values decreased by 20.7% for beverages vs. 4.4% for foods), but both decreased significantly. In the UK, there has been a shift in both the overall sweetness of the diet, as well as the total amount of sugars consumed. This is partly attributable to the reformulation of products, as well as changes in preferences among consumers. According to the findings of this study, the sweetness levels in the diets of the UK population are declining over time.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/261sweetnesssweetenerscross-sectional studiestrendsUnited Kingdomthe National Diet and Nutrition Survey |
| spellingShingle | Inga Kutepova Alison Kamil Alissa R. Wilson Colin D. Rehm Trends in Sweetness of the Diet in the United Kingdom: 2008/9 through 2018/19 Proceedings sweetness sweeteners cross-sectional studies trends United Kingdom the National Diet and Nutrition Survey |
| title | Trends in Sweetness of the Diet in the United Kingdom: 2008/9 through 2018/19 |
| title_full | Trends in Sweetness of the Diet in the United Kingdom: 2008/9 through 2018/19 |
| title_fullStr | Trends in Sweetness of the Diet in the United Kingdom: 2008/9 through 2018/19 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trends in Sweetness of the Diet in the United Kingdom: 2008/9 through 2018/19 |
| title_short | Trends in Sweetness of the Diet in the United Kingdom: 2008/9 through 2018/19 |
| title_sort | trends in sweetness of the diet in the united kingdom 2008 9 through 2018 19 |
| topic | sweetness sweeteners cross-sectional studies trends United Kingdom the National Diet and Nutrition Survey |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-3900/91/1/261 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ingakutepova trendsinsweetnessofthedietintheunitedkingdom20089through201819 AT alisonkamil trendsinsweetnessofthedietintheunitedkingdom20089through201819 AT alissarwilson trendsinsweetnessofthedietintheunitedkingdom20089through201819 AT colindrehm trendsinsweetnessofthedietintheunitedkingdom20089through201819 |