Soft drinks consumption among Egyptian children andadolescents

ABSTRACT

As a part of the national food consumption survey conducted in 1998 by the National Nutrition Institute, the consumption of soft drinks was determined among a sample of Egyptian children and adolescents aged 2-18 years using 24 hours recall method. It was found that a minority of the studied Egyptian children [9.9%] regularly consume carbonated beverages. Mean consumption was 215 +/- 59 ml/day. Consumption was greater among rural female children in the preschool age group, and urban adolescents. Energy intake 'was higher among those in the highest soft drink consumption category compared to non-consumers, Carbohydrate consumption was highest among those in the highest soft drink consumption category compared to the moderate and non consumers. While the mean protein, fat, calcium, vitamin C, zinc and iron intake was lowest among those who had highest soft drink consumption