Spanish children consume 55.7 grams of added sugars per day, more than double the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 25 grams per day. This is evidenced by an observational study conducted by researchers from the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technologies. José Mate Verdu of the University of Granada (UGR), which was recently published in North American. Nutrients.
A diet rich in sugar free is associated with an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Indeed, rates of childhood obesity continue to rise year on year worldwide, with the prevalence of overweight and obesity among the child population being 23.3% and 17%, respectively.
The authors of the article “Intake of Added Sugar by Spanish Children (7-12 Years) and the Nutritional Value of Foods Contributing to This Consumption” built an index to assess the nutritional value of the studied foods. In it, they reflected the density of nutrients present in each serving of each product (NDIS) and daily nutrient intake (DNII).
According to the authors, the diet of juveniles should be reviewed to favor foods with higher nutritional value and less added sugars.
In a study that involved 1,775 parents with children aged 7 to 12, through a survey, Online, led Jesus Francisco Rodriguez Huertas, professor of physiology UGR. Researchers from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of UGR, from the Institute of Biosanitary Research of Granada (ibs.Granada), from the Ricors Network of the Carlos III Health Institute SAMID Network (Maternal and Child Health and Development), from the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “Jose Mate Verdu” and Center for Biomedical Research UGR.
Among the conclusions, the experts point out that it is necessary to review the diet of minors, favoring foods with higher nutritional value and less added sugars, as well as adhere to a strategy product formulation change through food industry.
65% comes from foods with low nutritional value.
According to the results, 65% of the added sugars consumed daily by Spanish children come from foods and/or foods with low nutritional value: white sugar, jams, sauces, sweets, cocoa powder, soft drinks, ice cream, biscuits, fruit nectars. , industrial baked goods and pastries, chocolate bars, biscuits and homemade pastries, energy and/or sports drinks.
The remaining 35% of daily added sugars, on the contrary, come from foods and / or foods with a higher nutritional value: medium density, such as dairy desserts, vegetable drinks and sweetened yoghurts or with flavor and high gravity (this applies to shakes packaged with at least 90% milk, cereals and fortified baby milk).
According to research data and the NDIS index, milk is the food most consumed by Spanish children and has a very high nutritional value, which is improved only by fortified baby milk, which is the food with the most essential nutrients per serving. —. Milk contains high biological value proteins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin and niacin, essential nutrients for their development and growth stage.
When breakfast cerealsthey receive high nutritional value and they provide 5.9% of the added sugars consumed each day (3.3 g/day). The same goes for shakes with at least 90% of milk which also provide these nutrients in similar amounts, with the difference that they contain added sugars – they provide 6% of the added sugars consumed each day (3.4g/day) – so this can be supported in diets as they have a high nutritional density index, provided that the global intake of added sugars is below the recommendations set by WHO.
Against, cookie and cocoa powder, which contain more than 10.3 g/serving and 7.3 g/serving of added sugars, respectively, are consumed very frequently (4 to 6 times a week) and are therefore the two foods that contribute the most each. day added sugar to the diet of Spanish children. None of these foods contribute significantly to the intake of essential nutrients due to their low nutritional value.
Parental Delusions
The study shows that not all parents have a clear idea of the nutritional profile of the food their children consume. In fact, it is important that foods high in added sugar per serving (greater than 15g per serving) and low nutritional density (<1.5 NDIS) in case energetic drinks or for athletes chocolate barsfruit nectars, cocoa powder or ice creamPerceived by parents as having normal nutritional qualities, equivalent to other foods with low added sugars and high nutritional density, such as fortified infant milk, plant-based drinks, breakfast cereals, or milkshakes with at least 90% milk.
case about cookie and homemade baked goods, which are rated by parents as having a good nutritional profile, equivalent to fortified baby milk or vegetable drinks, when they contain 17 grams of added sugar per serving and have a low nutritional density index. Or a biscuit widely consumed by most children that is well received despite having over 10 grams of added sugar per serving.
Milk is the food most consumed by Spanish children and has a very high nutritional density.
baby milk Fortified is the category with the highest nutritional value of those analyzed – twice as much as regular milk in terms of nutrients – and low in added sugars (<5g per serving), so they represent a potential dietary improvement option. children, given the lack of some essential nutrients.
In order to classify foods according to their NDIS, the authors considered milk as a reference quality product with an estimated NDIS of 3 because it provides a significant amount of nutrition without added sugar. Thus, foods with an NDIS close to milk (NDIS > 2.5) were considered highly nutritious. Foods with an NDIS of 1.5 to 2.5 were considered medium nutrients, and foods with an NDIS of less than 1.5 were considered low nutrients.
In terms of added sugars, foods with low added sugars were less than 5 g per serving, medium added sugars from 5–10 g per serving, high added sugars from 10–15 g per serving, and those with which have more than 15 g per serving, have a very high content of added sugar.
Previously described indices that assess food quality were also calculated, such as SAIN (indicator of the nutritional adequacy of individual foods), which takes into account the content of protein, fiber, iron, calcium and vitamin C, and LIM (nutrients to be limited), which takes into account harmful health nutrients: sodium, added sugars and saturated fatty acids. Food with a SAIN index > 5 is considered to be of good nutritional value. Foods with a LIM index >7.50 are considered rich in nutrients that are unhealthy.
Consumption reduction proposals
One of the main conclusions of this work is that the nutritional value of a product should be evaluated not only on the basis of its sugar content, but also take into account other nutrients that it can contribute to the diet, that is, its nutritional value.
“The public should be informed about reducing the consumption of all foods containing added sugars, primarily foods of low nutritional value. In the context of a healthy and nutritious diet, periodic consumption (1-2 servings per week) of foods with low nutritional value can be maintained if the added sugar content is low or moderate,” says Jesús Francisco Rodriguez Huertas. , head of the studio.
On the other hand, he adds, “a lower presence in the diet of foods that contain a significant amount of added sugars should be encouraged in favor of other similar or equivalent foods without added sugars, such as natural yogurt instead of sweetened or flavored yogurt. ; reformulation of products containing added sugars and consumed in large quantities; and improved nutrition labeling, which should provide more information about the real contribution of added sugars and minimize confusion with natural sugars.” In this sense, according to the researcher, “Nutrition education campaigns are needed, aimed at both parents and children.
Source: Hiper Textual
