Português
LessSugar4Kids aims to address the problem of excessive sugar intake in Portuguese children by examining the underlying individual (e.g., child's food preferences and perceptions) and contextual (e.g., parents'/teachers' attitudes towards sugar intake) determinants. It is critical to combine the parents, teachers', and children's perspectives to attain this goal.
Excessive sugar intake is highly prevalent among Portuguese children (e.g., 41% exceed the daily amount recommended by the WHO). This is very concerning due to the negative health outcomes associated with sugar intake that may emerge during childhood or in later life stages. Children’s eating habits are influenced by multiple individual (e.g., food preferences) and contextual factors (e.g., food available in the household/ school). Previous research has suggested that attitudes and behaviours towards sugar are often inconsistent (e.g., adults acknowledge that sugar is “bad” for children but use sweets to reward good behaviour). Permissiveness for the intake of high sugar products is also deemed normative in specific contexts (e.g., holidays, birthday parties). Still, children’s current sugar intake rate is not likely to be explained by such exceptional situations. Instead, other factors - such as lack of knowledge regarding which food products constitute hidden sugar sources – may be contributing to this problem.
The perceptions and attitudes towards excessive sugar intake will be examined in a set of integrated studies, using a qualitative and quantitative approach. The studies combine the perspectives of multiple agents - the child, the caregivers, and the teachers – about children’s eating habits, particularly their sugar intake patterns.
Our findings will advance the understanding of the problem of children's excessive sugar intake, informing future interventions to address it. Besides scientific publications, results will be disseminated to the main stakeholders (e.g., media, policymakers), developing a toolkit to empower children and educators with strategies to help them reduce sugar intake.
Excessive sugar intake (as well as being overweight) is highly prevalent among Portuguese children, which is associated with multiple negative health outcomes that may emerge during this stage or later on. Our findings can inform the design of policies to improve public health namely to reduce children’s sugar intake.
| Research Centre | Research Group | Role in Project | Begin Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIS-Iscte | Behaviour Emotion and Cognition | Partner | 2023-10-23 | 2025-10-22 |
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| Name | Affiliation | Role in Project | Begin Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magda Saraiva | -- | Co-PI | 2023-10-23 | 2025-10-22 |
| Marília Prada | Professora Auxiliar (com Agregação) (DPSO); Integrated Researcher (CIS-Iscte); | Co-PI | 2023-10-23 | 2025-10-22 |
| João Daniel de Sousa Graça | -- | Researcher | 2023-10-23 | 2025-10-22 |
| Lígia Monteiro | Professora Auxiliar (DPSO); Integrated Researcher (CIS-Iscte); | Researcher | 2023-10-23 | 2025-10-22 |
| Margarida e Sá de Vaz Garrido | Professora Associada (com Agregação) (DPSO); Integrated Researcher (CIS-Iscte); | Researcher | 2023-10-23 | 2025-10-22 |
| Reference/Code | Funding DOI | Funding Type | Funding Program | Funding Amount (Global) | Funding Amount (Local) | Begin Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR23-00271 | -- | Award | Fundação "la Caixa" - 2023 Social Research - Portugal | 99527.13 | 99527.13 | 2023-10-23 | 2025-10-22 |
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With the objective to increase the research activity directed towards the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the possibility of associating scientific projects with the Sustainable Development Goals is now available in Ciência_Iscte. These are the Sustainable Development Goals identified for this project. For more detailed information on the Sustainable Development Goals, click here.
