The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics and trends in caloric beverages in pre-school and school children in Mexico. For that purpose, two nationally representative dietary intake surveys (1999 and 2006) which included 17,215 children were analyzed. Results show very large increases in caloric beverages among pre-school and school children from 1999 to 2006. For instance, Mexican preschoolers and school age children consumed the highest documented levels of calories from beverages as a proportion of total energy intake (27.8% and 20.7%, respectively). Among the caloric beverages consumed by children in Mexico, whole milk was the one that contributed the most to total energy intake, which is followed by sugar-sweetened beverages. The authors suggest that this increase in high-caloric beverage intake could explain the rise in childhood obesity observed in Mexico and other countries. This is why the Mexican government has begun to use these data to create policies and programs to change drinking habits of children.
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