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Objective: Most research investigating sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and health, conducted at the individual or household level, ignores potentially important intra-household dynamics. We analysed self-reported consumption relationships between children and adults, and between children of different ages, as well as the associations between intra-household consumption, BMI and sociodemographic characteristics. Design: A cross-sectional analysis of survey data from Kantar Fast Moving Consumer Goods panellists in September 2017. Setting: Great Britain. Participants: Random sample of 603 households with children under 18 years who regularly purchase non-alcoholic beverages. Results: Low- or no-sugar/diet beverages dominate consumption across all age categories, particularly children under 12 years. SSB consumption increased as children became older. Children's reported consumption of SSB and low- or no-sugar/diet beverages was positively associated with consumption by adults; a child in adolescence had over nine times the odds of consuming SSB (adjusted OR 9·55, (95 % CI 5·38, 17·00), P < 0·001), and eight times the odds of consuming low- or no-sugar/diet drinks (adjusted OR 8·12, (95 % CI 4·71, 13·97), P < 0·001), if adults did so. In households with multiple children, consumption patterns of older siblings were associated with those of the younger; notably a perfect correlation between children aged 0 and 6 years consuming SSB if siblings 13–18 years did so, and children aged 7–12 years had 22 times the odds of consuming SSB if siblings aged 13–18 years did so (OR 22·33, (95 % CI 8·60, 58·01), P < 0·001). Conclusions: Multiple policies, targeting children as well as adults, such as fiscal levers and advertisement restrictions, are needed to reduce and prevent the consumption of SSB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine socio-economic inequalities in decreases in household sugar purchasing in Great Britain (GB). Design: Longitudinal, population-based study. Setting: Data were obtained from the GB Kantar Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) panel (2014–2017), a nationally representative panel study of food and beverages bought and brought into the home. We estimated changes in daily sugar purchases by occupational social grade from twenty-three food groups, using generalised estimating equations (household-level clustering). Participants: British households who regularly reported food and beverages to the GB Kantar FMCG (n 28 033). Results: We found that lower social grades obtained a lower proportion of sugar from healthier foods and a greater proportion of sugar from less healthy foods and beverages. In 2014, differences in daily sugar purchased between the lowest and the highest social grades were 3·9 g/capita/d (95 % CI 2·9, 4·8) for table sugar, 2·4 g (95 % CI 1·8, 3·1) for sugar-sweetened beverages, 2·2 g (95 % CI 1·5, 2·8) for chocolate and confectionery and 1·0 g (95 % CI 0·7, 1·3) for biscuits. Conversely, the lowest social grade purchased less sugar from fruits (2·1 g (95 % CI 1·5, 2·8)) and vegetables (0·7 g (95 % CI 0·5, 0·8)) than the highest social grade. We found little evidence of change in social grade differences between 2014 and 2017. These results suggest that recent overall declines in sugar purchases are largely equally distributed across socio-economic groups. Conclusions: This suggests that recent population-level policy activity to reduce sugar consumption in GB does not appear to exacerbate or reduce existing socio-economic inequalities in sugar purchasing. Low agency, population-level policies may be the best solution to improving population diet without increasing inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study examined changes food and drink purchasing during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in England, and if changes varied by population subgroups., Design: We investigated changes in take-home food and drink purchasing and frequency of out-of-home (OOH) purchasing using an interrupted time series analysis design. The start of pandemic restrictions (the intervention) was defined as 16 March 2020, when first announced in the UK., Setting: London and the North of England., Participants: 1245 households reporting take-home and 226 individuals reporting OOH purchases between January 2019 and mid-June 2020 from the GB Kantar Fast Moving Consumer Goods Panel., Results: The marginal mean estimate of total take-home energy purchased was 17·4 % (95 % CI 14·9, 19·9) higher during the pandemic restriction period compared with the counterfactual. Increases of 35·2 % (95 % CI 23·4, 47·0) in take-home volume of alcoholic beverages and 1·2 % (95 % CI 0·1, 2·4) in foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar were observed. Reductions in purchased energy from fruit and vegetables (-7·3 %, 95 % CI -10·9, -3·6), ultra-processed foods (-4·0 %, 95 % CI -5·2, -2·8) and in OOH purchasing frequency (-44·0 %, 95 % CI -58·3, -29·6) were observed. Changes in chocolate and confectionery, soft drink and savoury snack purchases levelled off over time. Changes in all studied outcomes varied by sociodemographic characteristics and usual purchasing., Conclusions: Pandemic restrictions were associated with positive and negative changes in food and drink purchasing, which differed by individual characteristics. Future research should ascertain if changes persist and translate into changes in health.

Objective: To assess associations between self-reported advertising exposure to foods high in fats, salt and sugar and household purchases of energy, nutrients and specific product categories., Design: A cross-sectional design was used. Advertising exposure data were gathered using a questionnaire administered to the main shopper of each household, and purchase data from supermarkets and other stores for these households were accessed for a 4-week period during February 2019., Setting: Households in London and the North of England., Participants: Representative households ( N 1289) from the Kantar Fast Moving Consumer Goods Panel. Main shoppers were predominantly female (71 %), with a mean age of 54 years (±13)., Results: Linear regression models identified that exposure to foods high in fats, salt and sugar advertising through traditional mediums (including broadcast and print), but not digital, transport, recreational or functional mediums, was associated with greater purchases of energy (9779 kcal; 95 % CI 3515, 16 043), protein (416 g; 95 % CI 161, 671), carbohydrate (1164 g; 95 % CI 368, 1886) and sugar (514 g; 95 % CI 187, 841). Generalised linear models showed that individuals who reported exposure to sugary drink advertising were more likely to purchase sugary drinks (1·16; 95 % CI 2·94, 4·99) but did not purchase more energy or nutrients from sugary drinks. There was no evidence of associations between exposure to advertising for sugary cereals or sweet snacks and purchases from these categories., Conclusions: There was a strong influence of traditional advertising and sugar-sweetened beverage advertising on household food and drink purchases, thus supporting the need for advertising restrictions across traditional formats and for sugary drinks specifically.