Demographic and nutritional profiles of people consuming varying levels of added sugars

Abstract

Sociodemographic characteristics and dietary intake of high and low consumers of added sugars, was assessed on a random sample of the Australian adult population using a postal, quantified food frequency approach. People with a higher percentage of energy coming from added sugars in their diet had higher energy and fibre intakes, but lower % energy from fat, complex carbohydrates, protein and alcohol. They also had lower intakes of a range of micronutrients despite having a higher energy intake. However, the form of the relationship between % added sugars and micronutrient intake varied. For some there was a strong linear trend across deciles of added sugars intake with vitamin B6, beta-carotene, folate and magnesium showing the strongest inverse linear trends in both men and women. In women, there was also a strong trend for niacin and weaker but still significant inverse linear trends for retinol, vitamin C, vitamin B12, potassium and zinc. In men, weaker trends were evident for vitamin B12, sodium, calcium and zinc. There were no significant linear trends for thiamine, riboflavin or iron in either sex, nor for retinol, vitamin C or potassium in men and sodium and calcium in women. For some of the micronutrients however, the relationship between % added sugars and micronutrient intake was not strictly linear, with lower nutrient intakes occurring at either end of the % added sugars intake range. High consumers of added sugars were found in all sociodemographic sectors but more particularly so in men and amongst smokers. For women, younger respondents and those in the paid workforce were more likely to be high consumers and, for men, consumption was more likely to be high in those who had never married.