Adequacy of the dietary intake of total and added sugars in the Spanish diet to the recommendations: ANIBES study.

INTRODUCTION

The WHO published in 2015 its recommendations for added sugars intake: < 10% of the total energy (TE) intake in both adults and children. No updated information is available in Spain.

OBJECTIVES

To examine total sugar intake, mainly focused on added, and food and beverage sources. To analize fulfillment with WHO recommendations.

METHODS

The ANIBES Study of a representative sample of the Spanish population (9-75 yr) was used. Food and beverage records were obtained by a three-day dietary record by using a tablet device.

RESULTS

The median total sugar intake was 17% Total TE: 7.3% for added, and 9.6% for the intrinsic sugar intake. Differences were observed for added sugar which was much higher in children and adolescents. For the intrinsic sugar, however, a higher contribution to TE was observed in the elderly. A 58.2% of children fullfill WHO recommndations (< 10% TE), lower for the adolescents (52.6%),and higher for adults (76.7%) and the elderly (89,8%). The mayor sources of total sugar were milk and dairy products (23.2%), non-alcoholic beverages (18.6%), fruits (16.8%) and sugars and sweets (15.1%) and grains (12.0%). The major sources of intrinsic sugars were fruits (31.8%), milks (19.6%), juices and nectars (11.1%), vegetables (9.89%), yogurt and fermented milk (7.18%), low-alcohol-content beverages (4.94%), bread (2.91%), and sugar soft drinks (2.24%). As for free sugars, sources were sugars and sweets (34.1%), non-alcoholic beverages (30.8%, mainly as sugar soft drinks, 25.5%) and grains (19.1%, principally as bakery and pastry, 15.2%).

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates that only a moderate percentage of the Spanish population adhered to the present recommendations for total and added sugar intake, and urgent efforts are needed to improve diet quality in the youngest populations.