Abstract

CUNEO, Florencia  and  SCHAAB, Noelia. Drinking habits in adolescents and impact on their diet. Diaeta [online]. 2013, vol.31, n.142, pp.34-41. ISSN 1852-7337.

The population includes different drinks to their diet, which contribute to supplying nutrients with greater or lesser impact on food, nutritional state and health status. The objective of this work was to study the nutritional quality and drinking habits, including water, of adolescents living in the city of Santo Tomé, Santa Fe, Argentina. The study was descriptive and cross-sectional, and the participants, students aged 12 to 20 attending secondary school. The participants answered a questionnaire that included frequency of consumption, quantities and beverage preferences. Sodium content in tap water samples was analyzed. 450 students participated: 293 female and 157 male. Drinks provided more than double the amount of simple sugars intake recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). 72% of the students consumed whole milk weekly and 77% alcohol with a predominant frequency of 1-2 times a week, in an average volume of 4 liters per week in boys and 1.7 liters per week in girls, mainly aperitifs, beer and wine. Beverages covered 47% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of energy for boys and 50% for girls. The values of sodium in tap water were 396 mg/l. The average intake was 1.8 L/day (including water to dilute beverages and prepare infusions as tea, coffee and mate) contributing on average with 32% of the Recommended Intake Level of sodium. Sugar and alcohol included in beverages drunk by young people represent a risk for public health. Drinks are part of the food consumed by young people and so this is an issue that must be monitored carefully.

Keywords : Adolescents; Beverages; Sugars; Sodium; Alcoholic beverages.

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