Abstract

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Background
Keywords
Findings
Authors

Background

According to the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey—Nutrition, Canadians consumed an average of 110 grams (26 teaspoons) of sugar a day, approximately 20% of their total energy intake. While over 30% of this sugar came from vegetables and fruit, 35% came from the "other" foods category, which consists of items such as soft drinks, salad dressings and candy. The top ten sources of sugar accounted for approximately 85% of daily sugar intake. Beverages (milk, fruit juice, fruit drinks and regular soft drinks) represented 44% of the sugar consumed by children and adolescents, and 35% of that consumed by adults. Diabetics' average sugar intake was less than that of non-diabetics.

Keywords

Carbohydrates, caloric intake, diabetes, diet, energy intake, food

Findings

One in every five calories that Canadians consume comes from sugar. This dietary sugar may occur naturally, for instance, in fruit and milk, or it may have been added to foods and beverages to improve palatability, for instance, in soft drinks, salad dressings, syrup and candy. [Full Text]

Authors

Kellie Langlois (1-613-951-3806; kellie.langlois@statcan.gc.ca) and Didier Garriguet (1-613-951-7187; didier.garriguet@statcan.gc.ca) are with the Health Analysis Division at Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0T6.