Sweet Foods Consumption by Children in the U.S.: What We Eat In America, NHANES 2015-2018

Authors: Martin, Carrie; Sebastian, Rhonda; Enns, Cecilia; Goldman, Joseph; Moshfegh, Alanna

Submitted to: Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group
Publication Type: Research Technical Update
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2020
Publication Date: 11/12/2020
Citation: Martin, C.L., Sebastian, R.S., Enns, C.W., Goldman, J.D., Moshfegh, A.J. 2020. Sweet Foods Consumption by Children in the U.S.: What We Eat In America, NHANES 2015-2018. Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group. Available: https://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg/wweia/dbrief.

Interpretive Summary: Sweet foods are a major source of energy, added sugars, and saturated fats among children. This report provides information on the consumption of sweet foods by children age 2-19 years (5,281 individuals) from the national dietary survey What We Eat In America, NHANES 2015-2018. For this report, sweet foods included snack/meal bars, sweet bakery products, candy and other desserts and excluded fruits and all types of beverages. On the intake day, 70% of children consumed at least one sweet food. Sweet bakery products was the most commonly consumed type. The percentage of children who consumed sweet foods did not differ between boys and girls. Adolescents age 12-19 had a lower percentage reporting sweet foods compared to children age 2-5 years and 6-11 years. More children from families in the highest income group consumed sweets than those in families in lower income groups. Sweet foods provided 18% of daily energy intake, 40% of added sugars, and 23% of saturated fats among children who consumed them, while contributing 15% or less to intakes of vitamins and minerals studied. Older children (6-19 years) who consumed sweet foods had higher energy intakes than those who did not consume sweet foods. This report provides current details about the contribution of sweets to intake of daily energy, added sugars, and saturated fats by children.

Technical Abstract: Sweet foods are a major source of energy, added sugars, and saturated fats among children. The objective of this study was to assess current consumption of sweet foods by children age 2-19 years (n=5,281) using one day of dietary intake data from What We Eat In America, NHANES 2015-2018. For this analysis, sweet foods included snack/meal bars, sweet bakery products, candy, and other desserts and excluded fruit and all types of beverages. An individual who reported one or more sweet foods on the intake day was considered a “reporter.” Analysis of variance and/or two-sided t-tests were used to compare percentages consuming sweet foods by selected demographic variables and to compare energy intakes between reporters and non-reporters. Logistic regression was used to identify linear trends in sweet foods consumption by age group within sex and by income group within age group. On the intake day, 70% of children reported consuming at least one sweet food. There was a negative trend by age in consumption of sweet foods by age for all children as well as males and females separately (p<0.001). There was no difference in consumption by sex for any age group. Sweet bakery products was the most commonly consumed type of sweet foods. A larger percentage of children from families in the highest income group consumed sweet foods than did children from families in the middle and lowest income groups. Further, a positive trend in the percentage of children 2-19 years and 6-11 years consuming sweet foods by income level was observed. Among children who reported them, sweet foods accounted for 18% of daily energy intake, 40% of added sugars, and 23% of saturated fats, while contributing 15% or less to intakes of vitamins and minerals assessed. Children age 6-11 years and 12-19 years who reported consuming sweet foods had higher energy intakes than those who did not; however, there was no difference by reporting status observed in the 2-5 year age group. The results of this study highlight the contribution of sweets to intake of daily energy, added sugars, and saturated fats by children age 2-19 years and provide insight for health professionals and policymakers as they develop guidance targeted to this population.