title: Consumption patterns of sweet drinks in a population of Australian children and adolescents (2003-2008).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intake of sweet drinks has previously been associated with the development of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents. The present study aimed to assess the consumption pattern of sweet drinks in a population of children and adolescents in Victoria, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on 1,604 children and adolescents (4-18 years) from the comparison groups of two quasi-experimental intervention studies from Victoria, Australia were analysed. Sweet drink consumption (soft drink and fruit juice/cordial) was assessed as one day's intake and typical intake over the last week or month at two time points between 2003 and 2008 (mean time between measurement: 2.2 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Assessed using dietary recalls, more than 70% of the children and adolescents consumed sweet drinks, with no difference between age groups (p = 0.28). The median intake among consumers was 500 ml and almost a third consumed more than 750 ml per day. More children and adolescents consumed fruit juice/cordial (69%) than soft drink (33%) (p < 0.0001) and in larger volumes (median intake fruit juice/cordial: 500 ml and soft drink: 375 ml). Secular changes in sweet drink consumption were observed with a lower proportion of children and adolescents consuming sweet drinks at time 2 compared to time 1 (significant for age group 8 to <10 years, p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proportion of Australian children and adolescents from the state of Victoria consuming sweet drinks has been stable or decreasing, although a high proportion of this sample consumed sweet drinks, especially fruit juice/cordial at both time points.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit for Dietary Studies, Institute of Preventive Medicine, Copenhagen Capital Region, Copenhagen University Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark. britt.wang.jensen@regionh.dk
authors.forename: Britt W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allender
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Silva-Sanigorski
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kremer
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lacy
authors.forename: Boyd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Swinburn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001628:Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D014739:Victoria
chemical_list: D013549:Sweetening Agents