Beverage consumption and energy intake among Canadians: analyses of 2004 and 2015 national dietary intake data

• Published in: Nutrition journal 2019-10, Vol.18 (1), p.60-60, Article 60
• Main Authors: Jones, Amanda C, Kirkpatrick, Sharon I, Hammond, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Age Distribution; Alcohol; Alcoholic beverages; Beverage industry; Beverage intake; Beverages; Beverages - statistics & numerical data; Body mass index; Calories; Canada; Canadians; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic diseases; Chronic illnesses; Coffee; Coffee (Beverage); Consumption patterns; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes; Diet; Diet - statistics & numerical data; Dietary intake; Disease; Drinking (Physiology); Drinking behavior; Eating behavior; Energy; Energy Intake; Female; Fluid intake; Food; Food and nutrition; Forecasts and trends; Health; Health aspects; Health risks; Health surveys; Humans; Hypocaloric diet; Infant; Juices; Male; Middle Aged; Milk; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrition; Nutrition research; Nutrition surveillance; Nutrition Surveys - statistics & numerical data; Obesity; Online tutorials; Public health; Regression analysis; Sugar; Sugar-sweetened beverages; Sugary drinks; Type 2 diabetes; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1475-2891; 1475-2891
• DOI: 10.1186/s12937-019-0488-5

Among adults and children consuming Western diets, beverages are significant sources of free sugars, saturated fats, excess calories, and alcohol, with relevance to chronic disease risk. The impact of recent healthy eating policies and beverage market evolutions on population-level consumption patterns in Canada is unknown. The current study examined trends in intake of a range of beverage types among a nationally-representative sample of Canadians, with stratification by socio-demographic characteristics. The 2004 (n = 34,775) and 2015 (n = 20,176) nutrition-focused cycles of the Canadian Community Health Surveys are cross-sectional surveys representative of the population of the 10 Canadian provinces. Based on a single multiple-pass 24-h dietary recall for each participant, fluids consumed as beverages were grouped into seven categories. Using linear regression, reported intake (volume, ml and energy, kcal) of each category was characterized over time and in relation to sex, age, ethnicity, income, body mass index (BMI), and province of residence. In 2015, Canadians reported consuming an average of 1806 ml (275 kcal) fluids as beverages per day, including: plain water 867 ml (0 kcal); other unsweetened beverages, e.g. coffee, 364 ml (6 kcal); sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) 204 ml (99 kcal); plain milk 132 ml (64 kcal); alcoholic drinks 120 ml (71 kcal); 100% juice 74 ml (34 kcal); and diet or low calorie beverages 44 ml (2 kcal). Differential consumption was observed across socio-demographic groups, with high consumption of sugary drinks (i.e., SSBs and 100% juice) and alcohol across groups. From 2004 to 2015, the reported volumes of beverages consumed decreased by 10% (energy: - 24%). With adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics, there were significant changes (p