Sugar Content of Market Beverages and Children's Sugar Intake from Beverages in Beijing, China

Nutrients. 2021 Nov 28;13(12):4297. doi: 10.3390/nu13124297.

Abstract

(1) Background: This study aims to find the sugar content of market beverages and estimate the sugar intake from beverages among students in Beijing. (2) Methods: Using snapshotting, we collected the sugar content of beverages through their packages or nutrition labels. Combined with the statistic of student beverage consumption, we estimated students' sugar intake. (3) Results: The median sugar content of total beverages was 9.0 g/100 mL, among which the fruits/vegetable juices and beverages had the highest sugar content (10.0 g/100 mL). Sugar content in most beverages in Beijing was generally higher than the recommendations, and fruit/vegetable juices and beverages exceeded the most. The median of sugar intake from beverages among students was 5.3 g/d, and the main sources were fruit/vegetable juices and beverages, protein beverages and carbonated beverages. Sugar intake from beverages differed according to gender, age and living area. Higher sugar intake was found among boys, older students and rural students. (4) Conclusions: Sugar content in market beverages in Beijing were high. Gender, age and residence were the influencing factors of sugar intake. Targeted measures should be taken to decrease the sugar content in beverages, especially the fruit/vegetable juices and beverages and the sugar intake among students.

Keywords: beverages; children; consumption; sugar.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Beijing
  • Beverages / analysis*
  • Beverages / statistics & numerical data*
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diet Surveys
  • Dietary Sugars / analysis*
  • Female
  • Food Labeling
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Students / statistics & numerical data*
  • Supermarkets

Substances

  • Dietary Sugars