Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Epidemiology

Prevalence and energy intake from snacking in Brazil: analysis of the first nationwide individual survey

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, pages 868–874 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objectives:

Snacking has increased globally. We examine snacking patterns and common snack foods in Brazil.

Subjects/Methods:

Data from the first of two non-consecutive food diaries from 34 003 individuals (aged ⩾10 years) in the first Brazillian nationally representative dietary survey (2008–2009) were used. Meals were defined as the largest (kcal) eating event reported during select times of the day (Breakfast, 0600–1000 hours; Lunch, 1200–1500 hours; Dinner, 1800–2100 hours); all other eating occasions were considered snacks. We estimate daily energy intake, percentage of persons consuming snacks, number of daily snacks and per capita and per consumer energy from snacks (kcal/day, kcal/snack and % of daily energy from snacks).

Results:

In all, 74% of Brazilians (⩾10 years) snacked, reporting an average 1.6 snacks/day. Also, 23% of the sample were heavy snackers (⩾3 snacks/day). Snacking accounted for 21% of daily energy intake in the full sample but 35.5% among heavy snackers. Compared with non-snackers (1548 kcal/day), light (1–2 snacks/day) and heavy snackers consumed more daily energy (1929 and 2334 kcal/day, respectively). Taking into account time of day, the largest percentage of persons reported afternoon/early evening snacking (1501–1759 hours, 47.7%). Sweetened coffee and tea, sweets and desserts, fruit, sugar-sweetened beverages, and high-calorie salgados (fried/baked dough with meat/cheese/vegetable) were the top five most commonly consumed snacks. Differences were observed by age groups. Trends in commercial sales were observed, especially for sugar-sweetened beverages.

Conclusions:

Many commonly consumed snack foods in Brazil are classified, in the US, as being high in solid fats and added sugars. The public health impact of snacking in Brazil requires further exploration.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Popkin BM, Adair LS, Ng SW . Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries. Nutr Rev 2012; 70: 3–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Monteiro CA, Cannon G . The impact of transnational ‘big food’ companies on the South: a view from Brazil. PLoS Med 2012; 9: e1001252.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Chapelot D . The role of snacking in energy balance: a biobehavioral approach. J Nutr 2011; 141: 158–162.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Berteus Forslund H, Torgerson JS, Sjöström L, Lindroos AK . Snacking frequency in relation to energy intake and food choices in obese men and women compared to a reference population. Int J Obes (Lond) 2005; 29: 711–719.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hampl JS, Heaton CL, Taylor CA . Snacking patterns influence energy and nutrient intakes but not body mass index. J Hum Nutr Diet 2003; 16: 3–11.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Casazza K, Fontaine KR, Astrup A, Birch LL, Brown AW, Brown MMB et al. Myths, presumptions, and facts about obesity. N Engl J Med 2013; 368: 446–454.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Vartanian LR, Schwartz MB, Brownell KD . Effects of soft drink consumption on nutrition and health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Public Health 2007; 97: 667–675.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Hooper L, Summerbell CD, Higgins JP, Thompson RL, Capps NE, Smith GD et al. Dietary fat intake and prevention of cardiovascular disease: systematic review. BMJ 2001; 322: 757–763.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Toeller M, Buyken AE, Heitkamp G, Scherbaum WA, Krans HM, Fuller JH . Associations of fat and cholesterol intake with serum lipid levels and cardiovascular disease: the EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1999; 107: 512–521.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Duffey KJ, Popkin BM . Energy density, portion size, and eating occasions: contributions to increased energy intake in the United States, 1977–2006. PLoS Med 2011; 8: e1001050.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Dubuisson C, Lioret S, Touvier M, Dufour A, Calamassi-Tran G, Volatier JL et al. Trends in food and nutritional intakes of French adults from 1999 to 2007: results from the INCA surveys. Br J Nutr 2010; 103: 1035–1048.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kerr MA, Rennie KL, McCaffrey TA, Wallace JM, Hannon-Fletcher MP, Livingstone MB . Snacking patterns among adolescents: a comparison of type, frequency and portion size between Britain in 1997 and Northern Ireland in 2005. Br J Nutr 2009; 101: 122–131.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Marques-Vidal P, Ravasco P, Dias CM, Camilo ME . Trends of food intake in Portugal, 1987-1999: results from the National Health Surveys. Eur J Clin Nutr 2006; 60: 1414–1422.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ng SW, Zaghloul S, Ali H, Harrison G, Yeatts K, El Sadig M et al. Nutrition transition in the United Arab Emirates. Eur J Clin Nutr 2011; 65: 1328–1337.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Piernas C, Popkin BM . Snacking increased among U.S. adults between 1977 and 2006. J Nutr 2010; 140: 325–332.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Piernas C, Popkin BM . Trends in snacking among U.S. children. Health Aff (Millwood) 2010; 29: 398–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Popkin BM, Duffey KJ . Does hunger and satiety drive eating anymore? Increasing eating occasions and decreasing time between eating occasions in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr 2010; 91: 1342–1347.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Wang Z, Zhai F, Zhang B, Popkin BM . Trends in Chinese snacking behaviors and patterns and the social-demographic role between 1991 and 2009. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2012; 21: 253–262.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Coitinho D, Monteiro CA, Popkin BM . What Brazil is doing to promote healthy diets and active lifestyles. Public Health Nutr 2002; 5: 263–267.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Monteiro CA, Mondini L, de Souza AL, Popkin BM . The nutrition transition in Brazil. Eur J Clin Nutr 1995; 49: 105–113.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kearney J . Food consumption trends and drivers. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2010; 365: 2793–2897.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Reardon T, Berdegué J . The rapid rise of supermarkets in Latin America: challenges and opportunities for development. Dev Policy Rev 2002; 20: 371–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Hawkes C . Uneven dietary development: linking the policies and processes of globalization with the nutrition transition, obesity and diet-related chronic diseases. Global Health 2006; 2: 4.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Asfaw A . Supermarket Expansion and the dietary practices of households: some empirical evidence from Guatemala. In:, International Food Policy Research Institute 2007: Washington, DC, USA, 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Kleiman S, Ng SW, Popkin B . Drinking to our health: can beverage companies cut calories while maintaining profits? Obes Rev 2011; 13: 258–274.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Monteiro C, Levy RB, Claro RM, de Castro IR, Cannon G . Increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods and likely impact on human health: evidence from Brazil. Publ Health Nutr 2010; 14: 5–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Levy R, Claro RM, Monteiro CA . Sugar and total energy content of household food purchases in Brazil. Publ Health Nutr 2009; 12: 2084–2091.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Lobato J, Costa AJ, Sichieri R . Food intake and prevalence of obesity in Brazil: an ecological analysis. Public Health Nutr 2009; 12: 2209–2215.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. IBGE . Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares, 2008-2009: Análise do Consumo Alimentar Pessoal no Brasil. Estatística IBG2011, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, Rio de Janeiro.

  30. Pereira R, Duffey KJ, Sichieri R, Popkin BM . Sources of excessive saturated fat, trans fat and sugar consumption in Brazil: an analysis of the first Brazilian nationwide individual dietary survey. Public Health Nutr 2012, e-pub ahead of print 29 November 2012 1–9.

  31. NCC, N.C.C. Nutrition Data System for Research—NDSR., 2008. University of Minnesota: Minneapolis, USA, 2008.

  32. NEPA/UNICAMP – Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas em Alimentação/ Universidade de Campinas. TACO—Tabela brasileira de composição de alimentos. Campinas: UNICAMP—Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 2011.

  33. Sichieri R, Pereira RA, Martins A, Vasconcellos A, Trichopoulou A . Rationale, design, and analysis of combined Brazilian household budget survey and food intake individual data. BMC Public Health 2008; 8: 2458–8-89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Dubé L, Pingali P, Webb P . Paths of convergence for agriculture, health, and wealth. Proc Natl Acad Sci 2012; 109: 12294–12301.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Chermont Prochnik Estima C, da Costa RS, Sichieri R, Pereira RA, da Veiga GV . Meal consumption patterns and anthropometric measurements in adolescents from a low socioeconomic neighborhood in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Appetite 2009; 52: 735–739.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Bismarck-Nasr EM, Frutuoso MFP, Gambardella AMD . Nutritional importance of snacks in urban medium class adolescent diet. Pediatria (São Paulo) 2006; 28: 26–32.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Levy-Costa RB, Sichieri R, Pontes Ndos S, Monteiro CA . [Household food availability in Brazil: distribution and trends (1974–2003)]. Rev Saude Publica 2005; 39: 530–540.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Monteiro CA, Levy RB, Claro RM, de Castro IR, Cannon G . Increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods and likely impact on human health: evidence from Brazil. Public Health Nutr 2011; 14: 5–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Kant A, Graubard B . Secular trends in patterns of self-reported food consumption of adult Americans: NHANES 1971–1975 to NHANES 1999–2002. Am J Clin Nutr 2006; 84: 1215–1223.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Zalilah MS, Mirnalini K, Safiah MY, Tahir A, Siti Haslinda MD, Siti Rohana D et al. Daily energy intake from meals and afternoon snacks: findings from the Malaysian Adults Nutrition Survey (MANS). Malays J Nutr 2008; 14: 41–55.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Stockman NK, Schenkel TC, Brown JN, Duncan AM . Comparison of energy and nutrient intakes among meals and snacks of adolescent males. Prev Med 2005; 41: 203–210.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Gauche H, Calvo MCM, Assisi MA . Ritmos circadianos de consumo alimentar nos lanches e refeições de adultos: aplicação do semanário alimentar [Portuguese]. Revista de Nutrição 2006; 19: 177–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Gambardella AMD, Frutuoso MFP, Franch C . Pratica alimentar de adolescentes. Revista de Nutrição 1999; 12: 55–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. NEPA/UNICAMP, N.d.E.e.P.e.A.U.d.C., TACO - Tabela brasileira de composição de alimentos, C.U.-U.E.d. Campinas, Editor 2011.

  45. Dodd KW, Guenther PM, Freedman LS, Subar AF, Kipnis V, Midthune D et al. Statistical methods for estimating usual intake of nutrients and foods: a review of the theory. J Am Diet Assoc 2006; 106: 1640–1650.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Willett W . Nutritional Epidemiology (Monographs in Epidemiology and Biostatistics). In: Kelsey J, Marmot M, Stolley P, Vessey M, (eds). 2nd edn. vol. 30, Oxford University Press: New York, NY, USA, 1998.

  47. Lopes TS, Ferrioli E, Pfrimer K, Hoffman D, Sichieri R, Pereira RA . Validation of energy intake estimated by the food record applied in a Brazilian national individual dietary survey by the doubly labeled water method. In: II World Congress of Public Health Nutrition; I Latin American Congress of Community Nutrition, 2010, Porto Public Health Nutrition 2010; 13: 326.

  48. Barquera S, Hernández-Barrera L, Campos-Nonato I, Espinosa J, Flores M, JA Barriguete et al. Energy and nutrient consumption in adults: analysis of the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey 2006. Salud Publica Mex 2009; 51 (Suppl 4), S562–S573.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Whitton C, Nicholson SK, Roberts C, Prynne CJ, Pot GK, Olson A et al. National Diet and Nutrition Survey: UK food consumption and nutrient intakes from the first year of the rolling programme and comparisons with previous surveys. Br J Nutr 2011; 106: 1899–1914.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. USDA, USDoA.Nutrient Intakes from Food: Mean Amounts Consumed per Individual, by Gender and Age. What we eat in America. NHANES 2007-2008 2010, [cited 23 July 2012]; Available from: www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/fsrg.

  51. McCrory MA, Campbell WW . Effects of eating frequency, snacking, and breakfast skipping on energy regulation: symposium overview. J Nutr 2011; 141: 144–147.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Louis-Sylvestre J, Lluch A, Neant F, Blundell JE . Highlighting the positive impact of increasing feeding frequency on metabolism and weight management. Forum Nutr 2003; 56: 126–128.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Kong A, Beresford SA, Alfano CM, Foster-Schubert KE, Neuhouser ML, Johnson DB et al. Associations between snacking and weight loss and nutrient intake among postmenopausal overweight to obese women in a dietary weight-loss intervention. J Am Diet Assoc 2011; 111: 1898–1903.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  54. Bachman JL, Raynor HA . Effects of manipulating eating frequency during a behavioral weight loss intervention: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2012; 20: 985–992.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Jenkins DJ, Ocana A, Jenkins AL, Wolever TM, Vuksan V, Katzman L et al. Metabolic advantages of spreading the nutrient load: effects of increased meal frequency in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr 1992; 55: 461–467.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Reedy J, Krebs-Smith Susan . Dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added sugars among children and adolescents in the United States. J Am Diet Assoc 2010; 110: 1477–1484.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the programming efforts of Dr Donna Miles, the graphical assistance of Mr Tom Swasey and the administrative support of Ms Frances Dancy. Funding for this study came from The Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) # 200686/2011-9—PDEE and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    K J Duffey & B M Popkin

  2. Department of Social and Applied Nutrition, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    R A Pereira

  3. Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    B M Popkin

Authors
  1. K J Duffey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R A Pereira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. B M Popkin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to K J Duffey.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Supplementary Information accompanies this paper on European Journal of Clinical Nutrition website

Supplementary information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Duffey, K., Pereira, R. & Popkin, B. Prevalence and energy intake from snacking in Brazil: analysis of the first nationwide individual survey. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 868–874 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.60

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.60

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links