Evidence mapPaperPMID 41760913Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of clinical nutrition2026

The distribution of school-aged adolescents' free sugar intake across the day: A cross-sectional study.

Marie Murphy, Tessa Hewitt, Abigail Stewart, Breanna Morrison, Rhona Duff, Alice Sitch, Kiya Hurley, Tania Griffin, Ashley Adamson, Suzanne Spence and 3 more

Abstract read
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Article in European journal of clinical nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Marie Murphy *Department of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1177-1890
Tessa Hewitt *Department of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Abigail StewartDepartment of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Breanna MorrisonDepartment of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7473-2402
Rhona DuffDepartment of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Alice SitchDepartment of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Kiya HurleyDepartment of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Tania GriffinDepartment for Health, University of Bath, 1 West, Claverton Down, Bath, BA2 7AY, UK.
Ashley AdamsonPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Suzanne SpencePopulation Health Sciences Institute, Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Maisie RowlandPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Human Nutrition and Exercise Research Centre, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Peymane AdabDepartment of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
Miranda PallanDepartment of Applied Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. m.j.pallan@bham.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2868-4892

Funding

DH | NIHR | Public Health Research Programme (NIHR Public Health Research Programme) 17/92/39DH | NIHR | Public Health Research Programme (NIHR Public Health Research Programme) 17/9/39
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveWe aimed to explore how free sugar intake varies across the day in secondary school pupils.

methodsPupils aged 11-15 years were recruited between December 2019-April 2022 from English secondary schools. Pupils completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and recorded all foods and drinks consumed in the previous day. We undertook mixed-effects regression modelling to explore patterns of sugar consumption across different eating occasions, and in and out of school, accounting for school clustering and adjusting for energy intake and participant sociodemographic variables. 2575 pupils were invited to participate, with 2273 participants ultimately included in the study.

resultsAfter adjustment for mealtime energy intake, compared to breakfast, free sugar intake was lower at lunch (mean difference: -7.86 g; 95% CI = -8.87 g, -6.84 g; p = <0.001) and dinner (mean difference: -11.82 g; 95% CI -12.85 g, -10.80 g; p = <0.001). Free sugar intake from snacks was higher than breakfast (mean difference: 7.70 g; 95% CI 6.68 g, 8.72 g; p = <0.001). Snacks on average comprised 28.5% of total energy intake and 43.1% of free sugar intake for the day. Free sugar intake outside of school was higher than intake during school time (mean difference: 3.18 g; 95% CI = 1.67 g, 4.69 g; p = <0.001).

conclusionBreakfast and snacks made the largest contribution to free sugar intake among adolescents in the study after accounting for variation in energy intake across mealtimes. Free sugar intake was higher outside than inside school. Efforts to reduce free sugar intake in adolescents should focus on breakfast and snack food and drink items, and high sugar items available outside of school.

Indexed as

DietDietary SugarsFeeding BehaviorStudentsAdolescentBreakfastChildCross-Sectional StudiesEnergy IntakeEnglandFemaleHumansMaleMealsSchoolsSnacksDietary Sugars

Identifiers

PMID41760913
PMCPMC13083234

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.