Human Nutrition Research Centre, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
School of Dental Sciences, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4BW, UK.
BMC Public Health. 2020 Mar 30;20(1):331. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-8422-5.
The association between Free Sugars intake and non-communicable diseases such as obesity and dental caries is well documented and several countries are taking measures to reduce sugars intakes. Public Health England (PHE) instigated a range of approaches to reduce sugars, including a national health marketing campaign (Sugar Smart). The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the amount of sugars in foods and drinks and to encourage parents to reduce their children's intake. The aim of this study was to determine whether the campaign was effective in altering dietary behaviour, by assessing any impact of the campaign on sugars intake among children aged 5-11 years. Parental perceptions of the campaign and barriers to reducing sugars intake were also explored.
Parents of 873 children aged 5-11 years, identified from an existing PHE database, were invited to take part. Dietary information was collected online using Intake24 before, during, and at 1, 10 and 12 months following the campaign. Change in sugars intake was assessed using mixed effects linear regression models. One-to-one telephone interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of parents to explore perceptions of the campaign and identify barriers and facilitators to reducing children's sugars intake.
Completion rates for dietary assessment ranged from 61 to 72% across the follow up time points. Qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with 20 parents. Total sugars intake decreased on average by ~ 6.2 g/day (SD 43.8) at peak campaign and the percentage of energy from total sugars significantly decreased immediately and 1 year post campaign. The percentage of energy from Free Sugars significantly decreased across all time points with the exception of the long term follow up at 12-months post campaign. The percentage of energy intake from total fat increased. Parents expressed a willingness to reduce sugars intakes, however, identified barriers including time constraints, the normalisation of sugary treats, and confusing information.
A health marketing campaign had a positive impact in reducing sugars intake but reductions in sugars were not sustained. Parents want to reduce their child's sugars intake but societal barriers and confusion over which sources of sugars to avoid hamper efforts to change.
游离糖的摄入与肥胖和龋齿等非传染性疾病之间的关联已得到充分证实，因此许多国家都在采取措施来减少糖的摄入量。英国公共卫生署（PHE）采取了一系列措施来减少糖的摄入量，包括开展全国性的健康营销活动（Sugar Smart）。该活动旨在提高人们对食物和饮料中糖含量的认识，并鼓励家长减少孩子的糖摄入量。本研究旨在通过评估该活动对 5-11 岁儿童糖摄入量的影响，来确定该活动是否能有效改变饮食行为。研究还探讨了家长对该活动的看法以及减少糖摄入量的障碍。
从现有的 PHE 数据库中，邀请了 873 名 5-11 岁儿童的家长参加研究。在活动前后以及活动后 1、10 和 12 个月，通过在线方式使用 Intake24 收集了家长的饮食信息。采用混合效应线性回归模型评估糖摄入量的变化。对具有特定目的的家长样本进行了一对一的电话访谈，以探讨他们对活动的看法，并确定减少儿童糖摄入量的障碍和促进因素。
在整个随访期间，饮食评估的完成率从 61%到 72%不等。对 20 名家长进行了电话访谈。在活动高峰期，平均糖摄入量每天减少约 6.2g（SD 43.8），总糖能量占比在活动后立即和 1 年显著下降。游离糖能量占比在所有时间点都有所下降，除了活动后 12 个月的长期随访。总脂肪摄入量的能量占比增加。家长们表示愿意减少孩子的糖摄入量，但他们认为存在一些障碍，包括时间限制、含糖食品的常态化以及信息混淆。
健康营销活动对减少糖摄入量有积极影响，但减少的糖摄入量并未持续。家长们希望减少孩子的糖摄入量，但社会障碍和对要避免哪些糖源的困惑阻碍了他们的努力。
