High Sucrose Intake Is Associated With Poor Quality of Diet and Growth Between 13 Months and 9 Years of Age: The Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project

Previous studies have suggested that interventions to lower dietary fat content and improved fat quality lead to a compensatory increase in sucrose content. The purpose of this work was to determine what associations exist between sucrose intake and intake of nutrients, intake of specific foods, and growth in children aged 13 months to 9 years of age in the prospective, randomized Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project. Nutrient intake and food consumption were evaluated annually at ages 13 months through 9 years by using food records. Altogether, 543 children were divided into 3 groups according to mean sucrose intake: constantly high sucrose intake (highest 10%), constantly low sucrose intake (lowest 10%), and average sucrose intake (80%). Absolute and relative weights and heights were recorded at 7, 13, and 24 months of age and annually thereafter until 9 years old. The high sucrose-intake group exceeded the recommended sucrose intake (