Consumption of sweet foods among adolescents in Finland

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The importance of sugar in the etiology of dental caries is well known, but only few representative studies at population level have been carried out to analyze nutritional factors related to dentistry. As the main exposure to caries, the frequency of the use of sugar-products should be known more precisely. The frequency of consumption of sugar-containing products among Finnish adolescents was analyzed. A representative sample of 3209 Finnish adolescents between the ages of 13-19 was drawn. The data were obtained by mail questionnaire in Feb. and Sept. 1977 and in Feb. and Sept. 1979. The separate sample was drawn in Feb. 1978 to analyze the changes with time during 1977-79. The response rate to all the mailed questionnaires was close to 90%. The sugar-containing foods included in the study were sugar in coffee or tea, hot chocolate, pastries and cookies, soft drinks, chewing gums, sweets and pastilles. The data on the consumption of artificial sweetners were collected. According to current health behavior dogma, girls behaved better than boys. A clear relationship was observed between a householder''s educational and occupational status and children''s sugar consumption. Children from homes of low social status consumed more sugar than the others. The percentage of children frequently consuming sugary products decreased with improved school success. The use of sugar-containing products is especially frequent among young age groups, particularly among boys from low social background and children with poor school success. Health education should be especially directed towards them.