Abstract
Excess sugar consumption can lead to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes. Increasingly, ultra-processed foods (UPF) are suspected to be great contributors to free sugars intake in the population’s diet. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the association between UPF consumption and free sugars intake in the Canadian population. We used data from one 24 h-recall of the nationally representative 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey–Nutrition (CCHS). Food items were classified according to the NOVA system, and to estimate free sugars intake, we used the University of Toronto’s Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2017 database. Results: Almost half of the population’s energy intake (45.7%) came from UPF. On average, 221.5 kcal/day came from free sugars, and most of these calories (71.5%) came from UPF. Public health policies aiming to decrease consumption of UPF should be a priority considering their important contribution to sugar intake in the population.
Highlights
High intake of free sugars is associated to excess body weight and obesity that, in turn, increases the risk of obesity-related diseases including type 2 diabetes [1,2,3]
Using the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey–Nutrition (CCHS)-Nutrition survey data, this study investigates the association between ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption and free sugar intake in the Canadian population
Our study found that overall, 53.5% and 82.1% of Canadians are not meeting World Health Organization [3] (WHO)’s recommendation to eat less than 10% and 5% of total energy intake from free sugar, respectively
Summary
High intake of free sugars is associated to excess body weight and obesity that, in turn, increases the risk of obesity-related diseases including type 2 diabetes [1,2,3]. Recommend limiting free sugars intake to less than 10% of total energy intake, and ideally less than 5% to minimize health risks. While the 2019 Canadian Food Guide recommends limiting food high in sugars, such as candies, cookies and cakes, sweetened juices and drinks, sweetened milk products, amongst others [1,3,4,5], the free sugars levels of these products are not easy to identify, given that it is not declared on the Canadian Nutrition Facts table. [6] found that the main source of free sugars in Canada are desserts and sweets followed by beverages. Considering this high free sugars consumption, it is imperative to find intervention strategies to reduce free sugars intake in the Canadian population
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