Intakes of nutrients and food categories in Canadian children and adolescents across levels of sugars intake: Cross-sectional analyses of the Canadian Community Health Survey 2015 Public Use Microdata File

Dietary recommendations to reduce sugars consumption may influence choices of sugars-containing foods and affect the intake of key micronutrients. We compared intakes of nutrients and food sources stratified by quintiles of total sugars in Canadian children (2-8y) and adolescents (9-13y, 14-18y) using 24-hour dietary recalls from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition. Energy intakes did not differ across quintiles of sugars intake. Those with lower sugars intakes (Q1/Q3) generally had higher protein, fat, sodium, niacin, folate and zinc and lower vitamin C compared to those with the highest sugars intakes (Q5). Q1 also had lower potassium but higher saturated fat compared to Q5. Further, Q1 generally had higher protein, fats and niacin compared to Q3, while children in Q3 had higher potassium and riboflavin and older adolescents had higher calcium and fibre. Q5 had highest intakes of multiple sugar-containing food categories (e.g. fruit, confectionary, milks, cakes/pies/pastries), with higher sugars-sweetened beverages in adolescents. Q3 had higher fruit, milks and fruit juice compared to Q1 and lower sugars/syrups/preserves, confectionary, and fruit juices compared to Q5. Certain nutrient-dense food sources of sugars (fruit, milks) may help increase key nutrients (potassium, calcium, fibre) in older adolescents with low sugars intakes. However, in those with the highest sugars intakes, nutrient-poor foods may displace nutrient-dense foods. Novelty: • Canadian children and adolescents with lower sugars intake have better intakes of some nutrients • Energy intakes did not differ across sugars intake • Older adolescents with mean intakes of total sugars had better intakes of some key nutrients (potassium, calcium, fibre)The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author