1. Package size and manufacturer-recommended serving size of sweet beverages: a cross-sectional study across four high-income countries
- Author
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Mary R. L’Abbé, Alyssa Schermel, Cliona Ni Mhurchu, Jacob C. Seidell, Helen Eyles, Ingrid H M Steenhuis, Bruce Neal, Elizabeth Dunford, Maartje P. Poelman, Prevention and Public Health, Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment, and EMGO+ - Lifestyle, Overweight and Diabetes
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Canada ,Cross-sectional study ,Serving Size ,Medicine (miscellaneous) ,Portion size ,Research Support ,Beverages ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Serving size ,Journal Article ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Non-U.S. Gov't ,Mathematics ,Netherlands ,030109 nutrition & dietetics ,Nutrition and Dietetics ,Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ,Developed Countries ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Australia ,Food Packaging ,Portion Size ,Sweetening agents ,Research Papers ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Sweetening Agents ,Energy Intake ,High income countries ,Demography ,New Zealand - Abstract
ObjectiveTo assess the mean package size and manufacturer-recommended serving size of sweet beverages available in four high-income countries: Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand.DesignCross-sectional surveys.SettingThe two largest supermarket chains of each country in 2012/2013.SubjectsIndividual pack size (IPS) drinks (n891) and bulk pack size (BPS) drinks (n1904).ResultsFor all IPS drinks, the mean package size was larger than the mean serving size (mean (sd)=412 (157) ml and 359 (159) ml, respectively). The mean (sd) package size of IPS drinks was significantly different for all countries (range: Australia=370 (149) ml to New Zealand=484 (191) ml;P<0·01). The mean (sd) package size of Dutch BPS drinks (1313 (323) ml) was significantly smaller compared with the other countries (New Zealand=1481 (595) ml, Australia=1542 (595) ml, Canada=1550 (434) ml;Psd) serving size of BPS drinks was significantly different across all countries (range: Netherlands=216 (30) ml to Canada=248 (31) ml;P<0·00). New Zealand had the largest package and serving sizes of the countries assessed. In all countries, a large number of different serving sizes were used to provide information on the amount appropriate to consume in one sitting.ConclusionsAt this point there is substantial inconsistency in package sizes and manufacturer-recommended serving sizes of sweet beverages within and between four high-income countries, especially for IPS drinks. As consumers do factor serving size into their judgements of healthiness of a product, serving size regulations, preferably set by governments and global health organisations, would provide consistency and assist individuals in making healthier food choices.
- Published
- 2015