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Intake, sources, and determinants of free sugars intake in Australian children aged 12-14 months

Gemma Devenish1, Elinor Ytterstad2, Andrea Begley1

  • 1School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.

Maternal & Child Nutrition
|September 19, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Free sugar intake in infants is linked to health issues. Commercial infant foods and sweet treats are key sources for Australian babies, with socio-economic factors influencing intake levels.

Area of Science:

  • Nutrition Science
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Free sugar consumption is a significant public health concern, associated with childhood adiposity and dental caries.
  • Limited data exists on free sugar intake and its sources during the critical first two years of life.
  • Understanding early life sugar intake is crucial for developing effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the primary food sources of free sugars in Australian infants aged 12-14 months.
  • To investigate factors associated with meeting the World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline for free sugar intake.
  • To examine the relationship between socio-economic status and free sugar consumption in early childhood.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional analysis of dietary data from 828 Australian infants (12-14 months old).
  • Dietary intake was assessed using 3-day nonconsecutive 24-hour recalls and food records.
  • Multiple logistic regression was employed to analyze factors associated with exceeding WHO sugar intake recommendations (<5% and <10% of energy).

Main Results:

  • Mean free sugar intake was 8.8 g/day, contributing 3.6% of total energy intake.
  • Commercial infant foods (26.6%), cereal-based products (19.7%), yoghurt (9.6%), and fruit/vegetable beverages (7.4%) were major contributors.
  • Infants from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds were more likely to exceed the <5% energy recommendation for free sugars.

Conclusions:

  • Commercial infant foods are a substantial source of free sugars for Australian infants.
  • Dietary free sugar intake in early life is influenced by social determinants, particularly socio-economic disadvantage.
  • Targeted strategies addressing food sources and socio-economic factors are needed to reduce free sugar intake in infants.

Keywords:
24-hr recall, 2-day food record, food sourcesdietary intakesearly childhoodfree sugarsinfant feeding

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