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The Association Between Added Sugars Intake and the Healthy Eating Food Index 2019 Among Canadians: Analyses from the
Ye Flora Wang1,2, Zhongqi Fan1, Sandra Marsden1
1Nutrition Information Centre, Canadian Sugar Institute, Toronto, ON M5V 3E4, Canada.
Nutrients
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Added sugars (AS) intake is inversely associated with diet quality in Canadians, but variations exist. Added sugars alone may not fully reflect adherence to Canada's Food Guide.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Debate exists on the link between added sugars (AS) consumption and diet quality.
- Diet quality is a research gap in the Canadian population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between added sugars (AS) intake and the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI) 2019.
- To evaluate AS intake as an indicator of diet quality in Canadians.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 24-hour dietary recalls from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition (n=19,532).
- Calculated AS intake using a systematic 10-step algorithm.
- Employed a generalized linear model to test associations, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- A non-linear, inverse association was found between AS intake and HEFI scores (R² = 0.32, p < 0.001).
- High AS consumers (>15% EI) had lower HEFI scores, driven by sweetened beverages and low intake of fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins.
- Scores for protein foods and whole grains were low across all AS intake categories.
Conclusions:
- Significant variation in HEFI scores exists among individuals with similar AS intakes.
- Added sugars (AS) alone may not fully capture overall diet quality or adherence to Canada's Food Guide.
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