Low Calorie Beverage Consumption Is Associated with Energy and Nutrient Intakes and Diet Quality in British Adults.

Sigrid Gibson,Graham Horgan,Alison Stephen,Lucy Francis,Amelia Gibson

doi:10.3390/nu8010009

Sigrid Gibson, Graham Horgan + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8010009

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Abstract

It is unclear whether consumption of low-calorie beverages (LCB) leads to compensatory consumption of sweet foods, thus reducing benefits for weight control or diet quality. This analysis investigated associations between beverage consumption and energy intake and diet quality of adults in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) (2008–2011; n = 1590), classified into: (a) non-consumers of soft drinks (NC); (b) LCB consumers; (c) sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumers; or (d) consumers of both beverages (BB), based on 4-day dietary records. Within-person data on beverage consumption on different days assessed the impact on energy intake. LCB consumers and NC consumed less energy and non-milk extrinsic sugars than other groups. Micronutrient intakes and food choices suggested higher dietary quality in NC/LCB consumers compared with SSB/BB consumers. Within individuals on different days, consumption of SSB, milk, juice, and alcohol were all associated with increased energy intake, while LCB and tea, coffee or water were associated with no change; or reduced energy intake when substituted for caloric beverages. Results indicate that NC and LCB consumers tend to have higher quality diets compared with SSB or BB consumers and do not compensate for sugar or energy deficits by consuming more sugary foods.

Highlights

In the latest results from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey [1], 44% by weight of all soft drinks consumed by adults aged 19–64 years were low-calorie beverages (LCB), a higher proportion than in other European countries [2]
There was no significant difference in socio-economic classification overall, a slightly higher proportion of LCB consumers had higher professional and managerial occupations, compared with those consuming both LCB and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) (BB)
From within-person analysis of National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), we found that substitution of SSB by LCB or by water/tea/coffee was associated with a reduction in total energy, and this was attributable to lower energy from beverages, with no evidence of increased food energy

Summary

Introduction

In the latest results from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey [1], 44% by weight of all soft drinks consumed by adults aged 19–64 years were low-calorie beverages (LCB), a higher proportion than in other European countries [2]. In the United States, where per capita consumption of beverages is roughly double that in the UK [3], results of NHANES 2003–2010 showed that LCB constituted. 32% of beverages among adults and 19% among children [4]. The majority of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) among adults suggest that using LCB instead of caloric beverages over several weeks or months results in modest weight loss [10,11,12,13], results vary by age, sex, ethnicity, or weight status groups [14]. Trials in overweight adolescents [15]

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