The Sweet Deal with Cereal: College Students Knowledge

of Sugar Content in Breakfast Cereals

B. Borba, Undergraduate Nutrition Major, Rutgers University; C. Cotugno, Undergraduate Nutrition Major, Rutgers University; J. Walsh, Undergraduate
Nutrition Major, Rutgers University; P. Policastro,Ph.D., R.D., Nutrition Specialist, Rutgers University Dining Services/ The New Jersey Institute for Food,
Nutrition, and Health, Rutgers University

BACKGROUND ANALYSIS RESULTS

2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines suggest sugar consumption Frequency tests were used to examine students accuracy in Only 5% of students correctly ranked the sugar content of
should not exceed 10% of daily caloric intake. knowledge of sugar content in these cereals and the all four cereals.
percentage of each cereal ranked from 1=low to 4=high in
A study by Mitka (2016) estimates that 70% of Americans sugar content. 31% of students correctly ranked the sugar content of two
Rank Key:
consumed more than 10% of their daily caloric intake in 1-2.5g (3/4 packet) (lowest) or more cereals.
added sugar. 2-10g (2.5 packets)
3-17.5g (4.5 packets)
4-26g (6.5 packets) (highest) Students ability to correctly rank the sugar content of each
Research suggests the average American consumes over 22 cereal was:
Subject # Male/Female Rice Krispies Frosted Mini Raisin Bran Low Fat
teaspoons of added sugar per day with sugar sweetened (M/F) Wheats Granola 40% for RK as having the lowest sugar content
beverages and breakfast cereals being amongst the largest 17% for FMW as having the second lowest sugar
contributors of added sugars (Johnson et al., 2009). content
40% for RB as having the second highest sugar content
Figure 1: Data recording sheet students used to rank the sugar content of 11% for LFG as having the highest sugar content
RESEARCH QUESTION the breakfast cereals used in the study.

Are college students able to accurately rank cold breakfast CONCLUSION

cereals in terms of sugar content?
The majority of students were unable to accurately rank
METHODS the sugar content of breakfast cereals, especially Frosted
Mini Wheats and Low Fat Granola.
A randomized cross-sectional sample of college-aged
students (n=218; 114 males) in university dining halls were Students most frequently ranked Frosted Mini Wheats
asked to rank the sugar content of four different cereals highest in sugar and Low Fat Granola lowest in sugar.
[Rice Krispies (RK), Frosted Mini Wheats (FMW),
Raisin Bran (RB), and Low Fat Granola (LFG)]. Students most frequently ranked Rice Krispies and
Figure 2: Arrangement of data collection site in Raisin Bran correctly in sugar content.
Students were asked to rank the cereals from one to four, dining halls.
with one being the lowest in sugar, and four being the
RECOMMENDATIONS
highest. Sugar packets were used as a visual for students to
rank the sugar content in the cereals. Students matched the More intervention is needed to educate the college
number of sugar packets to the corresponding cereal based population on sugar content of cereals.
on what they perceived to be the correct ranking of sugar
content. Cereals ranged from RK-2.5g (3/4 packet), FMW- Labeling sugar content of breakfast cereals at point of
10g (2.5 packets), RB-17.5g (4.5 packets), to LFG-26g (6.5 service in the dining halls may be beneficial to increase
packets) of sugar per 1 cup serving. awareness of the sugar content in the cereals.

The Institutional Review Board of Rutgers University Further studies should include a broader range of cereals
approved this study. and/or be conducted in a different population to validate
these results.

Figure 3: Students ability to correctly rank the sugar content of each

cereal