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One of the main public health issues that has recently been observed in a greater number of children is being overweight. The cause certainly lies in the decreasing physical activity of children, but mostly in their eating habits. Soft drinks are recognized as the most significant contributor to body overweight due to high sugar content; thus, as a result of numerous campaigns, part of the sugar is replaced by artificial sweeteners (ASs). Despite their advantage due to their low caloric value, WHO recommends that they should not be used to achieve weight control or as prevention for reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases, as there is no evidence of their effectiveness. Apart from beverages, artificial sweetener combinations are also added to a variety of "low fat" and "high protein" food products, which are highly favored especially among the young population. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the cumulative intake. The conducted study included a survey of 323 parents of children aged 1–14 years, as well as an analysis of the AS content in the products most often consumed by the respondents. The results of the survey show that a large part of children (40%) aged 3–14 often consume soft drinks. Different products (soft drinks, juices/nectars, syrups) were sampled based on the respondents' responses, and an analysis showed that 54% of them contained one or more ASs. In addition, the survey indicated parents' lack of information about the presence of AS in products, as 51% of parents declared that they do not read the declarations of the products they buy. It is necessary to persist in consumer education and changes in dietary preferences and habits, especially among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioaccumulation of lead and cadmium in humans has been examined through analysis of 151 meconium samples of new-born children in the Split-Dalmatian County. Lead and cadmium content is related to pollution from industrial facilities, road traffic sources and landfills in the examined area. Lead was found in 89.4 % and cadmium in 94.0 % of analysed samples, indicating a high prevalence of both metals in the environment. The content of each metal has been examined relative to the sociodemographic description and dietary habits of mothers. Statistical results have shown values about forty times higher for lead median concentration compared to cadmium; living in urban residences, frequency of consumption of vegetables and fish, and smoking habits have shown the most significant impacts. Results have shown that cadmium is uniformly dispersed from pollution sources over a larger area and penetrates all parts of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]