consumption by children and adolescents grows 23%

Global consumption of sugary drinks has grown by 23% in the last 30 years. Brazil, however, is going against this trend, leading the decline among the most populous countries. The data comes from a survey that evaluated the habits of children and adolescents aged 3 to 19 in 185 countries, comparing numbers from 1990 to 2018.

To arrive at the results, the authors used the Global Dietary Databasea bank that compiles data from different nations. From them, they made estimates of trends over the last 3 decades regarding the consumption of ready-made juices, energy drinks, sports drinks, soft drinks, among others. They excluded 100% natural juices and calorie-free sweetened drinks from the analysis.

The investigation reveals that the average global weekly consumption is 3.6 servings of these drinks, ranging from 1.3 in the Southeast Asian region to 9.1 in Latin America. Around 30% of countries — which represents 10% of young people — consume more than 7 servings per week.

Brazil went from 8.1 weekly servings to 5.1 in 2018. Still, we are above the recommended level, as these drinks should be an exception in the eating routine. The study also shows that intake was higher among older people, those living in urban areas and children of parents with a higher level of education.

Among the reasons that explain this increase are practicality and easy access.

“There are several factors that influence eating behavior, such as the environment, especially those characterized by a ‘food desert’, in which people have great difficulty finding healthy food,” analyzes nutritionist Fabiana Fiuza Teixeira, from Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. According to her, there are still so-called “food swamps”which would be regions “flooded” with ultra-processed products.

The marketing of these items also influences, as they are sold as being “more practical”which contributes to increased consumption.

According to the authors, the findings reinforce the need for policies and interventions to change these behaviors and prevent diseases.

“Studies show that people who live in places with greater access to unhealthy products are at greater risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity”says the nutritionist. According to her, it has become increasingly common to see these conditions among younger people.

And the damage doesn’t just apply to health — nature also suffers. “The more we unpack, the more waste we produce and harm the environment. The good old ‘unpack less and peel more’ is still the best way”says Teixeira.

How to choose the best drink?

Reading and understanding the label is essential to know if a product is of good quality. Check out some tips from nutritionist Fabiana Teixeira when choosing a drink:

• If you are going to drink juice, choose natural juice.;
• Try not to sweeten natural juices;
• Encourage the use of fruits, especially those in season, as they are tastier and cheaper. Keeping them frozen can make it easier to prepare juices on a daily basis;
• Include children and adolescents in the entire process, from choosing products to making the juice, taking them to the fair and encouraging purchases from local producers, for example;
• Avoid consuming soft drinks and processed juices as much as possible. Boxed juices should be an option when there is no alternative;
• Avoid drinks with more than three ingredients, especially those with unusual names;
• Don’t choose ones where sugar is the first ingredient listed;
• Avoid those that have the word “nectar” on the packaging;
• If the child or teenager does not have dietary restrictions, do not choose juices sweetened with sweeteners or from the light/zero range. Generally, they have more additives and sodium;
• Whenever possible, prefer to eat the whole fruit. It provides other nutrients that are usually lost in juices, such as fiber.

With information from