SUGAR CONSUMPTION DECLINES IN USA YET TOTAL FIGURES STILL HIGH...

Research in the United States found that sugar consumption between children declined significantly between 2003 and 2014.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the decrease in consumption was seen in all children and adolescents evaluated. These include participants in the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP), where the US government provides food aid to 40 million low-income Americans.

Nevertheless, despite the decline, total consumption was also high. Accordingly, 61% of all children and 75.6% of SNAP participants typically consume 1 sweet drink per day. In this study, 15 thousand 645 children and adolescents aged between 2-19 years were followed. The participants were categorized according to their income and whether they participated in the support programme.

According to this, four categories were formed: those who participated in SNAP, those whose income level was low enough to participate in SNAP, those who did not participate, those who did not have low income to participate in SNAP and those who had high income levels.

Sugary drink carbonated beverage...

There is a significant decrease in sugar consumption. What about obesity?

The study revealed important results. The proportion of children who consumed 1 sweet drink per day under normal conditions showed a significant decrease in all groups between 2003 and 2014. The decline was mainly attributable to the decline in sparkling consumption. In 2014, the daily consumption of fruit drinks among children whose income level was low enough to participate in SNAP was around one quarter. On the other hand, consumption of 1 sport or energy drink per day increased 3 times between these years and reached 8.4%.

The study aimed to measure the efficiency of the programme called SNAP, which provides supplementary nutritional assistance to low-income families. The results showed that there was a decrease in the consumption of sugary drinks in children included in the nutritional support programme, but this improvement was not sufficient. Experts warn that the type of sugary drinks consumed by children should also be considered. Sports and energy drinks, as well as carbonated beverages, except for the increase in the consumption of unconventional sugary drinks, the effects of the decline in the consumption of carbonated beverages are expressed.

The answer to this question is as follows: According to a study published in the journal Economics & Human Biology, childhood obesity has increased by 0.14% between 2004 and 2016 despite the decrease in sugar consumption...