Brazilians eating more sugar and less fruit

Source: www.maganews.com.br

Dietary habits

Brazilians eating more sugar and less fruit

An IBGE survey has shown that Brazilians are eating too much sugar and not enough fruit and vegetables 

    Eating rice and beans [1] for lunch was always been a very common habit for millions and millions of Brazilians. However, in recent years Brazilians have been eating less of this traditional dish[2]. Between 2003 and 2009 Brazilians ate 40% less rice and 26% fewer beans. In addition, domestic consumption of soft drinks [3]  rose [4]  by 40% and beer consumption rose by 23%. These are the findings[5] of a study carried out by the IBGE between 2008 and 2009. The result of the study was only released in late December 2010.   The IBGE survey revealed some disturbing [6]  facts about the eating habits of Brazilians. One is that Brazilians are consuming more and more processed food [7]  and less fruit and vegetables than they should. The daily consumption of fruit and vegetables, foods considered to be very healthy, makes up less than 3% of the Brazilian diet. The ideal amount [8]  would be between 9% and 12%, according to nutritionists.

Excess sugar

But the most worrying fact is that Brazilians are consuming more sugar [9]  than they should. Sugaraccounts for almost 17% of the calories ingested [10] every day by Brazilians. This includes the sugar added to coffee and fruit juices [11], as well as the sugar found in soft drinks, candy [12],cookies  [13] and various processed foods. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that sugar should not account for more than 10% of our daily calorie intake [14]. Several studies have shown that excess sugar can contribute to obesity and diseases such as diabetes and cancer, among others.

Matéria publicada na edição de número 59 da revista Maganews.

Áudio: David Hatton

Fotos - Ag. Vanderlei Alvarenga / André Dias (menina) e Agência Brasil (alimentos)

Vocabulary

1 rice and beans – arroz e feijão

2 dish – prato

3 soft drink – refrigerante

4 to rise – crescer

5 findings – descobertas / revelações

6 disturbing – preocupante

7 processed food – aqui = comida industrializada

8 amount – quantidade

9 sugar – açúcar

10 ingested – ingerida / consumida

11 juice –suco

12 candy – bala

13 cookie – biscoito

14 intake – aqui = consumo