(P10-025-24) Added Sugar Intake Among Infants in Low-Income Households: Amount Consumed and Dietary Source

Objectives: To determine the amount and sources of added sugar intake during complementary feeding and the association between added sugar and weight status among racially and ethnically diverse infants in low-income households in the United States.

Methods: Mother-infant dyads were recruited from a local pediatric clinic mainly serving low-income/Medicaid recipient families (n = 240). When infants were 9 months old, we interviewed mothers (in English or Spanish) to collect sociodemographic information and 24-hour feeding recalls using a multiple-pass method. A Windows-based dietary analysis program (Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR)) was used to calculate total added sugar intake and sources. Infants’ weight measurements at 12 months were retrieved from clinic records. Descriptive and bivariate tests were conducted using SPSS v 22.0.

Results: Two-thirds of the participants were either African American (38%) or of Latino origin (38%). The majority were participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (84%) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (53%). On average, households included 4 individuals with a monthly household income of approximately $1500. Most infants (75%) were consuming added sugar at age 9 months (on average 35 g ± 21 per day), primarily from infant formula (i.e., 95% of total intake). Other non-formula sources of added sugar intake included fruit drinks, desserts, and snacks. By race/ethnicity, added sugar intake was highest among African American (40 g ± 21) compared to Latino (33 g ± 20) and non-Latino White (33 g ± 21, p = .057) infants. Consuming more than 10 g of added sugar/per day at 9 months was associated with significantly higher body weight at 12 months (p < .001).

Conclusions: The high intake of added sugar among infants through formula raises policy and public health concerns. Infant formula is intended as a substitute to breast milk. However, added sugar in formula prevents families from meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans’ recommendation to avoid foods and beverages with added sugars until 2 years of age.

Funding Sources: NIH-NICHD