Consumption of free sugars and dietary sources in the diet of university students according to socioeconomic and lifestyle factors
Keywords:
Eating, Sugars, Students, UniversitiesAbstract
Objective
To evaluate the consumption of free sugars and associated factors in the diet of university students entering full-time courses at a public university in Mato Grosso.
Methods
Cross-sectional study with students aged 16 to 26 years in the first semester of 2016, 2017, and 2018. Average sugar consumption was estimated using a 24-hour diet recall, evaluating the percentage of free sugars in total energy intake and the prevalence of consumption greater than 10.0% of total energy intake, according to socioeconomic and lifestyle variables, stratified by sex, and the foods that most contributed to its consumption.
Results
A total of 1,063 students were evaluated, the percentage of free sugars in the students’ diet was on average 14.3% among men and 15.4% among women, with the prevalence of consumption above 10.0% also being higher among women (72.6 vs. 66.6%). There was a direct relationship between the participation of free sugars in the highest tertiles of energy intake, and the main food groups sources of sugar were desserts, juices, soft drinks, and coffee. There was a significant association between courses outside the health sciences, tobacco use, and unsatisfactory meal consumption profile with higher consumption of free sugars among women. Among men, sugar consumption was higher among those who were not overweight compared to those who were overweight.
Conclusion
The consumption of free sugars is high among university students, being associated with higher energy consumption, especially for sweetened beverages.
References
Ministério da Saúde. Brasil. Plano de Ações Estratégicas para o enfrentamento das doenças crônicas e agravos não transmissíveis no Brasil 2021-2030. Brasília: Ministério; 2021 [cited 2020 May 20]. Available from: https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/centrais-de-conteudo/publicacoes/publicacoes-svs/doencas-cronicas-nao-transmissiveis-dcnt/09-plano-de-dant-2022_2030.pdf/view
Narciso J, Silva AJ, Rodrigues V, Monteiro MJ, Almeida A, Saavedra R, Costa AM. Behavioral, contextual and biological factors associated with obesity during adolescence: a systematic review. Plos One. 2019;14(4):e0214941.
World Health Organization. Guideline: sugar intake by adults and children. Geneve: Organization; 2015 [cited 2020 May 20]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Pereira RA, Duffey KJ, Sichieri R, Popkin BM. Sources of excessive saturated fat, trans fat and sugar consumption in Brazil: an analysis of the first Brazilian nationwide individual dietary survey. Public Health Nutr. 2014;17(1):113-21.
Santin F, Gabe KT, Levy RB, Jaime PC. Food consumption markers and associated factors in Brazil: distribution and evolution, Brazilian National Health Survey, 2013 and 2019. Cad Saude Publica. 2022;38:e00118821.
Luger M, Lafontan M, Bes-Rastrollo M, Winzer E, Yumuk V, Farpour-Lambert N. Sugar-sweetened beverages and weight gain in children and adults: A systematic review from 2013 to 2015 and a comparison with previous studies. Obes Facts. 2017;10(6):674-93.
Seferidi P, Millett C, Laverty AA. Sweetened beverage intake in association to energy and sugar consumption and cardiometabolic markers in children. Pediatr Obes. 2018;13(4):195-203.
Kalbus A, Boenecke J, Holt M, Powell S, Reintjes R. Exploring trends and differences in health behaviours of health sciences university students from Germany and England: findings from the “SuSy” project. Public Health Rev. 2021;42:1603965.
Syed NK, Syed MH, Meraya AM, Albarraq AA, Al-Kasim MA, Alqahtani S, et al. The association of dietary behaviors and practices with overweight and obesity parameters among Saudi university students. Plos One. 2020;15(9):e0238458.
Du C, Luo N, Wu L, Gadd S, Zhang X, Tucker RM. Health behavior changes associated with weight gain among first-year international students studying at an American university. J Am Coll Health. 2021;1-10.
Khawaja AH, Qassim S, Hassan NA, Arafa E-SA. Added sugar: nutritional knowledge and consumption pattern of a principal driver of obesity and diabetes among undergraduates in UAE. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2019;13(4):2579-84.
Fernandes PSD, Cândido FG, Rocha JLM, Reis VG, Souza ECG, Duarte MSL. Intake of added sugar by students in the health field at an educational institution in Viçosa, Brazil. World of Health. 2016;40(1):94-105.
Benaich S, Mehdad S, Andaloussi Z, Boutayeb S, Alamy M, Aguenaou H, et al. Weight status, dietary habits, physical activity, screen time and sleep duration among university students. Nutr Health. 2021;27(1):69-78.
Brace AM, Andrade FC, Finkelstein B. Assessing the effectiveness of nutrition interventions implemented among US college students to promote healthy behaviors: a systematic review. Nutr Health. 2018;24(3):171-81.
Atmarita IN, Jahari AB, Permaesih ID, Chan P, Amarra MS. Consumption and sources of added sugar in Indonesia: a review. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2018;27(1):47-64.
Bawadi H, Khataybeh T, Obeidat B, Kerkadi A, Tyyem R, Banks AD, et al. Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute significantly to college students’ daily caloric intake in Jordan: soft drinks are not the major contributor. Nutrients 2019;11(5):1058.
Yee AZ, Lwin MO, Ho SS. The influence of parental practices on child promotive and preventive food consumption behaviors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017;14(1):47.
Bailey CP, Sharma S, Economos CD, Hennessy E, Simon C, Hatfield DP. College campuses’ influence on student weight and related behaviours: a review of observational and intervention research. Obes Sci Pract. 2020;6(6):694-707.
Mendes MLM, Silva FR, Messia CMBO, Carvalho PGS, Silva TFA. Eating habits and physical activity of university students in the health area of the city of Petrolina-PE. Tempus. 2016;10(2),205-17.
Perez PMP, Castro IRR, Franco AS, Bandoni DH, Wolkoff DB. Dietary practices of quota and non-quota students at a public Brazilian university. Cien Saude Colet. 2016;21(2):531-42.
França JQS, Marchiori JM. Evaluation of the consumption of sugary drinks in university students in the city of Bebedouro. Rev Nutr Sci Online. 2018;2(2):37-41.
Nogueira OS, Ferreira MG, Rodrigues PRM, Muraro AP, Pereira LP, Pereira RA. Longitudinal Study on Lifestyle and Health in University Students (ELESEU): design, methodological procedures and preliminary results. Cad Public Health. 2018;34(4):e00145917.
Souza Ade M, Barufaldi LA, Abreu Gde A, Giannini DT, Oliveira CL, Santos MM, et al. ERICA: intake of macro and micronutrients of Brazilian adolescents. Rev Saude Publica. 2016;50(Suppl 1):5s.
Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa. Criterion Brazil: criteria for economic classification of Brazil 2015. São Paulo: Associação; 2015.
Matsudo S, Araujo T, Matsudo V, Andrade D, Andrade E, Oliveira LC, et al. International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ): study of validity and reproducibility in Brazil. Rev Bras Ativ Fis Saude. 2012;6(2):5-18.
Hallal PC, Victora CG. Reliability and validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004;36(3):556.
Hallal PC, Andersen LB, Bull FC, Guthold R, Haskell W, Ekelund U. et al. Global physical activity levels: surveillance progress, pitfalls, and prospects. Lancet. 2012;380(9838):247-57.
Touma Sawaya RI, El Meski N, Saba JB, Lahoud C, Saab L, Haouili M, et al. Asthenopia Among university students: the eye of the digital generation. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(8):3921-32.
Malta DC, Silva AGD, Prates EJS, Alves FTA, Cristo EB, Machado ÍE. Convergence in alcohol abuse in Brazilian capitals between genders, 2006 to 2019: what population surveys show. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2021;24(Suppl 1):e210022.
Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, Alessi C, Bruni O, Don Carlos L, et al. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep Health. 2007;1(1):40-3.
World Health Organization. Growth reference data for 5-19 years: body mass index-for-age, length/ height-for-age and weight-for-height. Genève: Organization; 2007.
World Health Organization. Physical status: the use and interpretation of anthropometry. Genève: Organization; 1995.
Barufaldi LA, Abreu GA, Veiga GV, Sichieri R, Kuschnir MCC, Cunha DB, et al. Program for recording 24-hour food recall: application in the Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents. Rev Bras Epidemiol. 2016;19(2):464-8.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Household Budget Survey (POF), 2008-2009: analysis of personal food consumption in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Instituto; 2011.
Nakhooda R, Wiles N. Consumption of added sugars among undergraduate students at a South African university and its association with BMI. South Afr J Clin Nutr. 2018;33(3):64-71.
Baker P, Machado P, Santos T, Sievert K, Backholer K, Hadjikakou M, et al. Ultra-processed foods and the nutrition transition: global, regional and national trends, food systems transformations and political economy drivers. Obes Rev. 2020;21(12):e13126.
Sogari G, Velez-Argumedo C, Gómez MI, Mora C. College students and eating habits: a study using an ecological model for healthy behavior. Nutrients. 2018;10(12):1823.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Research of family budgets (POF) 2017-2018: first results. Rio de Janeiro: Instituto; 2020.
Al-Qahtani MH. Dietary Habits of Saudi Medical Students at University of Dammam. Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2016 Jul;10(3):353-62.
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. National student health survey (PeNSE), 2015. Rio de Janeiro: Instituto; 2016.
Ministério da Saúde. Brasil. Vigitel Brasil 2019: surveillance of risk and protective factors for chronic diseases by telephone survey: estimates on the frequency and sociodemographic distribution of risk and protective factors for chronic diseases in the capitals of the 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District in 2019. Brasília: Ministério; 2020.
Rauber F, Louzada MLC, Steele EM, Millett C, Monteiro CA, Levy RB. Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases-Related Dietary Nutrient Profile in the UK (2008–2014). Nutrients. 2018;10(5):587.
Lee Y, Wang Z, Chiang TC, Ti-Liu C. Beverage Intake, Smoking Behavior, and Alcohol Consumption in Contemporary China-A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;14(5):493.
Fagan MJ, Di Sebastiano KM, Qian W, Leatherdale S, Faulkner G. Coffee and cigarettes: examining the association between caffeinated beverage consumption and smoking behaviour among youth in the COMPASS study. Prev Med Rep. 2020;18(19):101148.
Senín-Calderón C, Rodríguez-Testal JF, Perona-Garcelán S, Perpiñá C. Body image and adolescence: a behavioral impairment model. Psychiatry Res. 2017;248:121-6.
Castelao-Naval O, Blanco-Fernández A, Meseguer-Barros CM, Thuissard-Vasallo IJ, Cerdá B, Larrosa M. Life style and risk of atypical eating disorders in university students: Reality versus perception. Enferm Clin. 2019;29(5):280-90.
Huang K, Zhao L, Fang H, Yu D, Yang Y, Li Z, et al. A Preliminary Study on a Form of the 24-h Recall That Balances Survey Cost and Accuracy, Based on the NCI Method. Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2740.
Dodd KW, Guenther PM, Freedman LS, Subar AF, Kipnis V, Midthune D, et al. Statistical methods for estimating usual intake of nutrientes and foods: a review of the theory. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106(10):1640-50.
Khandpur N, Mais LA, Morais SP, Martins APB, Spinillo CG, Rojas CFU, et al. Choosing a front-of-package warning label for Brazil: a randomized, controlled comparison of three different label designs. Food Res Int. 2019;121:854-61.
World Health Organization. Taxes on sugary drinks: why do it? Genève: Organization; 2016.
World Cancer Research Found International. Building Momentum: Lessons on Implementing a Robust Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax. London: WCRFI; 2018. Technical Report.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Paula Costa CUNHA, Paulo Rogério Melo RODRIGUES, Naiara Ferraz MOREIRA, Bartira Mendes GORGULHO, Márcia Gonçalves FERREIRA, Ana Paula MURARO
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
