Abstract

Introduction: Consumption of non-caloric sweeteners (NCS) has increased in all age groups; however, intake in pregnant women has not been quantified. Objective: To determine the intake of NCS and compare consumption by nutritional status among pregnant Chileans. Material and Methods: Pregnant women from the cities of Santiago and Concepcion were interviewed as part of a descriptive study. Each pregnant woman was given a frequency survey of weekly food consumption with NCS to determine intake, and a nutritional evaluation was carried out using information from the pregnant woman's check up form. Results: 601 pregnant women were evaluated, 98% consumed NCS, none of them exceeded the accepted daily intake (ADI) for any NCS. Beverages and juices with NCS presented the highest proportions of NCS in the diet. When comparing nutritional status, no difference was found in the consumption of NCS. When comparing only beverages and juices with NCS, obese pregnant women consumed significantly more cyclamate compared to non-obese women.