Intake of Free Sugars and Main Food Category Contributors among French Children, Adolescents and Adults

Abstract

A high intake of free sugars (FS) is assumed to be associated with overweight and obesity as well as type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an intake of FS of less than 10% of daily total energy intake (TEI). The purpose of this study was to update the FS intake data for the French population, including children and adolescents as well as adults, based on the 2019 French Food Behavior and Consumption survey (CCAF). FS intakes were assessed at 67 g/day (15.3% of TEI) in children and adolescents as well as 57 g/day (10.5% of TEI) in adults. The main FS contributors were cakes/pastries, sugary drinks and fruit juices in children as well as sugary products, cakes/pastries and fruit juices in adults. The contribution of FS intakes to TEI fell with age, from 15.6% of TEI in 3–6 years children to around 8–9% for adults older than 50 years. On average, children were above the WHO recommendation of FS intake, but adults were close to or even below the threshold of 10% TEI. These observations are of great importance to prospective public health activities focusing on changes in FS intakes.