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Lifestyle and specific dietary habits in the Italian population: focus on sugar intake and association with anthropometric parameters—the LIZ (Liquidi e Zuccheri nella popolazione Italiana) study

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Abstract

Purpose

In order to collect information on food intake, lifestyle and health status of the Italian population, a random cohort of about 2000 adults was selected in collaboration with the Italian society of general practitioners’ network (SIMG).

Methods

Cohort subjects underwent a full clinical evaluation, by their family doctor, who also collected anthropometric data and information on the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors; they were also administered diary forms developed to assess dietary use of simple sugars, of sugar-containing food and of selected food items.

Results

Data obtained indicate that the consumption of simple sugars (either added or as natural part of food) by the Italian adult population is, on average, not high (65 and 67 g/day, among women and men, respectively) and mostly derived from food items such as fruit, milk and yogurt. In addition, no correlations were found, in this low-sugar-consuming cohort, between sugar intake and weight, body mass index and waist circumference.

Conclusions

Intakes of simple sugars in the LIZ cohort are not associated with weight, BMI and waist circumference. Prospective data, from cohorts like the LIZ one, might shed further light on the contribution of simple sugar intake to health in countries like Italy.

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Acknowledgments

The LIZ study has been made possible by an unrestricted research grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation to the SIMG Foundation. The funder had no role in design or conduct of this study; collection, management, analysis or interpretation of the data; or preparation, review or approval of this manuscript. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the GPs who actively participated into the LIZ study (full list in Annex 1) and the patients they enrolled in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NFI - Nutrition Foundation of Italy, Milan, Italy

    Franca Marangoni & Andrea Poli

  2. SIMG - Società Italiana di Medicina Generale, Florence, Italy

    Ovidio Brignoli & Claudio Cricelli

Authors
  1. Franca Marangoni
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  2. Ovidio Brignoli
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  3. Claudio Cricelli
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  4. Andrea Poli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Franca Marangoni.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical standards

All persons gave their informed consent prior to their inclusion in the study. Details that might disclose the identity of the subjects under study have been omitted.

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Supplementary material 2 (PDF 231 kb)

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Marangoni, F., Brignoli, O., Cricelli, C. et al. Lifestyle and specific dietary habits in the Italian population: focus on sugar intake and association with anthropometric parameters—the LIZ (Liquidi e Zuccheri nella popolazione Italiana) study. Eur J Nutr 56, 1685–1691 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-016-1215-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-016-1215-z

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