Sugars consumption in a low-income sample of British young people and adults

Abstract

Objective: To report the consumption of non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES) among a low-income UK sample, compare it with nationally representative estimates and examine the association between socioeconomic position and NMES consumption among low income adults. Design: Secondary analysis of the Low Income Diet and Nutrition Survey (LIDNS) data. Setting and subjects: Two thousand, seven hundred and ninety-six adults and 415 young people from 2, 477 households. Main outcome measures Mean NMES intakes (grams) and their percentage contribution to food energy, from dietary data collected via a 24-hour recall "multiple pass" method. Results: The low income sample consumed more NMES than the general population sample. The percentage of food energy from NMES exceeded the 11% target, especially among adolescents (17.2% in males, 16.3% in females). After adjusting for age, men who finished full-time education aged 16 years consumed significantly more sugar (p=0.028), whereas those who finished aged 18 consumed significantly less sugar (p=0.023) than the reference group (finished aged 15). No significant associations were found between NMES and socioeconomic variables in women. Conclusion: Compared to the general population, the nutritional disadvantage of the most deprived segments of society relates primarily to excessive NMES consumption. In men, higher educational level appears to play a protective role against high sugar intakes. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.