Dryckesval

Dryckesval refers to the choices people make about beverages in daily life. In nutrition and public health, the term covers the range of fluids consumed with meals and between meals, such as water, milk and dairy alternatives, fruit juices, coffee and tea, sugar-sweetened beverages, and alcoholic drinks. The concept emphasizes how these choices influence hydration, energy intake, sugar consumption, dental health, and long-term disease risk.

Health implications and guidance: most health authorities emphasize prioritizing water as the main source of hydration and choosing unsweetened beverages or those with minimal added sugar. Recommendations typically include limiting sugar-sweetened drinks, moderating caffeine from tea and coffee, and following national guidelines for alcohol use. For children and adolescents, the advice often stresses milk or fortified beverages and restricting sugary drinks.

Determinants of dryckesval: taste and habit, availability, price, and marketing, along with cultural norms and social settings. Education, labeling, and the beverage environment in schools, workplaces, and canteens shape choices. Environmental factors such as access to clean drinking water and affordable healthy options also play a major role.

Policy and research focus on promoting healthier dryckesval, through public information campaigns, school nutrition programs, and regulatory measures such as advertising restrictions and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. The term is used in surveys and dietary assessments to analyze patterns in beverage consumption and develop targeted interventions.