Consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages: ELSA-Brasil results

Abstract The study aims to describe the consumption of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages according to sociodemographic, health and location variables. Cross-sectional study with ELSA-Brasil data (2008-2010). A questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic, food, health data and anthropometry. Descriptive analysis and association with variables of interest were carried out. In the sample, 8% of the total caloric value comes from non-alcoholic beverages (5.6%: sugary drinks), and 4% from alcoholic beverages (2.7%: beer). Consumers of unsweetened and artificially sweetened beverages reported moderate/strong physical activity, former smokers and higher education. The opposite was true for sugary drinks. Eutrophic people reported higher consumption of sugary drinks and those obese, artificially sweetened and beer. Alcohol consumption varied with age (young: beer; elderly: wine/spirits) and education (low education: beer/spirits; higher education: wine). Coffee, natural juice and soda were the most consumed non-alcoholic beverages and beer was the most prevalent alcoholic beverage. Consumption variation was observed according to geographic location. The consumption of sugary and alcoholic beverages is high in Brazil and public health strategies are required.