Factors related to sugar consumption by young people in Portugal: public policies and nutritional literacy 1

Abstract

To reduce the burden of diet-related non-communicable diseases, promoting healthy eating habits has become a concern of modern societies. In this vein, in addition to trying to improve the health literacy of its population, the Portuguese authorities have recently levied taxes on food products that are deleterious to health. Despite the young exhibiting better health literacy, they also tend to overconsume these products. This research analyses the influence of public policies on healthy eating and of health literacy on the health management of young adults. We applied an online survey to young adults who were attending a university degree at Universidade de Lisboa. The collected data were processed by statistical analysis, using SPSS software. Although most of the young respondents recognize their importance in managing their individual health, a large majority are unaware of the public policies in place and frequently over consume sugar. Public policies on healthy eating thus need to reconsider the role of young people as agents of participation, promoting knowledge about the measures and providing them with tools to manage their own health.