HOW MUCH SUGAR WAS CONSUMED?
In 2012-13, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people consumed an average of 111 grams of total sugars per day. Around two thirds (75 grams) of this was free sugars equivalent to 18 teaspoons of white sugar, with the balance (36 grams) being the intrinsic sugars within intact fruits and sugars naturally occurring in milk1. The average consumption of added sugars was 68 grams (16 teaspoons), making up the majority of free sugar intake, with the remaining 7 grams of free sugars coming from honey and fruit juice.
Figure 1: Total sugars, free sugars and added sugars – average consumption(a)(b)(c), 2012-13
(a) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 years and over.
(b) Based on Day 1. See Glossary for definition.
(c) See Glossary for detailed inclusions of each definition.
Source: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, 2012-13
*Not directly measured – calculated from the difference between measured sugars components.
Males consumed 121 grams of total sugars on average, 20 grams more than females (101 grams). This difference was most prominent among teenagers aged 14-18 years, where males consumed 147 grams, an additional 45 grams compared to females in the same age group (102 grams).
The total amount of sugar consumed increased throughout childhood years, peaking in the 14-18 years age group for males and the 9-13 years age group for females. The variation in total sugar consumed by age and sex was driven mostly by the consumption of free sugars as the amount of intrinsic and milk sugars consumed remained relatively constant across all age and sex groups, decreasing slightly with age.
Among children aged 2-3 years free sugars contributed less than half (47%) of the total sugars consumed. However, the proportion of total sugars derived from free sugars increased up to 75% for adults aged 19-30 years, reflecting the different types of foods consumed across different age groups.
(a) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 years and over.
(b) Based on Day 1. See Glossary for definition.
(c) Sugars in honey and fruit juice.
Source: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, 2012-13
On average, 75 grams of free sugars were consumed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Males consumed more free sugars than females (83 grams compared with 67 grams).
The highest consumers of free sugars were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teenagers (14-18 years) and young adults (19-30 years) (88 grams and 93 grams respectively).
Males aged 14-18 years consumed an average of 106 grams of free sugars (equivalent to 25 teaspoons). Around 21 teaspoons (87 grams) of free sugars were consumed on average by females aged 19-30 years.
Was there a difference by remoteness?
The amount of free sugars consumed varied by remoteness. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in non-remote areas consumed 12 grams more free sugars on average than those living in remote areas (78 grams and 65 grams respectively)2. In particular, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander males living in non-remote areas consumed around 20 grams more of free sugars on average than males living in remote Australia (87 grams compared with 67 grams).
How did this compare with non-Indigenous?
On average Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people consumed an additional 15 grams of free sugar (almost four teaspoons) than non-Indigenous people (75 grams compared with 60 grams respectively).
ENDNOTES
1 All definitions of free sugars, intrinsic sugars and sugars from milk are based on WHO concepts and terminology. See Glossary for definitions.
2 Components may not sum due to rounding.
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