Non-Nutritive Sweeteners Intake and Its Association With Sugars Intake Among Chilean Toddlers

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are used as sugar alternatives in foods and beverages. However, their intake and dietary sources in toddlers and their association with total sugars intake have been scarcely explored. We aimed to characterise NNS intake (sucralose, acesulfame-K, aspartame, steviol glycosides, saccharin and cyclamate) and their individual association with dietary total sugars in a sample of Chilean toddlers. Participants of the Chilean Infant Nutrition Randomised Controlled Trial (N = 450, 50% girls) were assessed at 3 years of age with sociodemographic information from their families, anthropometry of the participants and their mothers and dietary intake (via a single 24-h recall). For reported packaged foods, we obtained the energy, nutrients and NNS information from nutrition facts panels (NFP). We estimated the dietary intake (total energy, macronutrients, total sugars and NNS intake) and NNS dietary sources for each participant. We used linear regression models to study crude and adjusted associations. Mean total energy intake was 1006 ± 351 kcal/day, with 27% of those calories coming from total sugars. Seventy-six percent of the toddlers consumed at least one NNS: 63% sucralose, 35% acesulfame-K, 32% aspartame, 27% steviol, < 1% saccharin and < 1% cyclamate. Beverages were the top contributors to NNS intake. NNS intake was not significantly associated with total sugars intake. In conclusion, we found a high prevalence of NNS intake among 3-year-old children, with sucralose being the most frequently consumed. NNS intake was not associated with lower sugars consumption. These results support new recommendations discouraging NNS intake among healthy populations, which can be even more relevant in young children.