Consumption of Intense Sweeteners in Australia and New Zealand
2 Methodology
In 1994, the then National Food Authority commissioned Roy Morgan Research to undertake preliminary research into intense sweetener consumption patterns in Australia. The aims of that research were to provide baseline data for 12-39 year old Australians on exposure to the intense sweeteners cyclamate, saccharin, aspartame, and acesulphame-K and to identify sub-groups of the population who may have been at risk of exceeding the ADI for individual intense sweeteners. Dietary exposure was estimated by combining survey data on individual respondents’ weekly consumption of different foods with data on the level of intense sweetener in each food. Neither alitame nor sucralose exposure were included in that survey as there were no products consumed in the survey that contained either of these two intense sweeteners.
The research in 1994 used face-to-face screener interviews to assess the weekly consumption of sugar sweetened foods and foods containing intense sweeteners. This helped identify respondents with a high level of consumption of products containing intense sweeteners. These respondents were then invited to participate in a one-week (7-day) diary survey.
The present research used the 1994 survey as baseline data on Australians’ dietary exposure to intense sweeteners (NFA 1995). The latest research, however, used a telephone screener survey and the parameters were extended to include investigation of the consumption patterns of Australians aged 40 years and over so as to cover a broader section of the population as well as of the New Zealand population.
Children under 12 years of age were not included in this survey as it was considered that the survey methodology was not appropriate for this age group. Alternative survey techniques would be required to adequately estimate consumption of products containing intense sweeteners by children.
In addition to the diary survey of apparent high consumers of intense sweetened foods, there was also a supplementary diary survey of people with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance.
The research involved three survey groups in both Australia and New Zealand:
- a national (screener) survey of all respondents aged 12 years or over, to determine patterns of consumption of twelve key food product groups containing intense sweeteners and to screen respondents in order to select apparent high consumers of key products;
- a diary survey of apparent high consumers of products containing intense sweeteners, selected from the screener survey, to estimate their exposure to individual intense sweeteners; and
- a supplementary diary survey of people with diabetes or those with impaired glucose tolerance to estimate their exposure to individual intense sweeteners.
The following were identified as the main food product groups containing intense sweeteners:
- carbonated soft drinks*;
- cordials*;
- fruit drinks;
- tabletop sweeteners*;
- confectioneries^;
- flavoured yoghurts and mousses*;
- jellies and milk based puddings*;
- jams or conserves*;
- flavoured milks*;
- canned fruits;
- toppings; and
- ice creams.
* Represents foods also surveyed in 1994
^ Only chewing gum consumption was surveyed in 1994
Roy Morgan Research developed the questionnaire and diaries in conjunction with FSANZ staff and were guided by a project team that included representatives from FSANZ external stakeholders.
The following diagram (Figure 1) gives an overview of the research methodology. The circles represent the research respondents. The larger circle represents all the screener survey respondents. The shaded circles specifically indicate the diary respondents. The section of the “Diabetics” circle lying outside the “Screener survey” circle represents those with diabetes who were recruited from other sources for the supplementary diary survey. The area where the two shaded circles intersect represents those with diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance who were interviewed as part of the screener sample, and therefore eligible to take part in the main diary survey.
In Section 5 of this report, diary respondents who suffer from diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance are compared with those diary respondents who had neither of the two medical conditions. Therefore, in this context, those respondents represented by the intersection of the two shaded circles are not double-counted. In Section 4, however, all those recruited from the screener survey who completed the diary are used for analysis purposes. This group is representative of the population of all those eligible to take part in the diary survey and naturally includes a high proportion who have either diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. [ more ... pdf 207 kb ]
Execitive summary | 1 Introduction | 2 Methodology | 3 Key findings - Screener survey | 4 Key findings - Diary survey | 5 Key findings - Diary survey diabetics | 6 Conclusions and recommendations | List of References | Appendixes