Half of US Population Consumes Sugar Drinks on Any Given Day

Sugar drinks have been linked to poor diet quality, weight gain, obesity, and, in adults, type 2 diabetes. U.S. dietary guidelines issued in 2010 recommend limiting the consumption of foods and beverages with added sugars.

Sep 5 2011 --- Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005–2008 has found that consumption of sugar drinks in the United States has increased over the last 30 years among both children and adults. Approximately one-half of the U.S. population consumes sugar drinks on any given day.

Sugar drinks have been linked to poor diet quality, weight gain, obesity, and, in adults, type 2 diabetes. U.S. dietary guidelines issued in 2010 recommend limiting the consumption of foods and beverages with added sugars. Moreover, the American Heart Association has recommended a consumption goal of no more than 450 kilocalories (kcal) of sugar-sweetened beverages or fewer than three 12-oz cans of carbonated cola per week. This brief presents the most recent national data on sugar-drink consumption in the United States. Results are presented by sex, age, race and ethnicity, and income. Where sugar drinks are consumed and obtained is also presented.

Overall, males consume an average of 175 kcal from sugar drinks on any given day, while females consume 94 kcal. Mean consumption of sugar drinks is higher in males than females at all ages except among 2- to 5-year-olds. Consumption of sugar drinks increases until ages 12–19 years and then decreases with age. Consumption of sugar drinks is lowest among the oldest females (42 kcal per day) and highest among males aged 12–19 (273 kcal per day). The age patterns of percentage of total daily kilocalories from sugar drinks (not shown) are similar to those for kilocalories from sugar drinks.

Approximately one-half of the population aged 2 and older consumes sugar drinks on any given day. Among adult women, the percentage is lower, with 40% consuming sugar drinks on any given day, while among boys aged 2–19, 70% consume sugar drinks on any given day.

On a given day, there is a wide range of sugar-drink consumption. About 50% of the population consumes no sugar drinks; 25% consumes some sugar drinks but less than 200 kcal (more than one 12-oz can of cola); and 5% consumes at least 567 kcal from sugar drinks on any given day (more than four 12-oz cans of cola).

Among non-Hispanic black children and adolescents, 8.5% of total kilocalories consumed in the diet are obtained from sugar drinks, higher than the 7.4% among Mexican-American children and adolescents. Among adults aged 20 and over, non-Hispanic white persons consume fewer sugar-drink kilocalories as a percentage of total kilocalories (5.3%) than do non-Hispanic black (8.6%) or Mexican-American persons (8.2%)

More than one-half of sugar-drink kilocalories (52%) are consumed in the home. Of these sugar-drink kilocalories, the vast majority is purchased in stores (92%), and just over 6% is purchased in restaurants or fast-food establishments. Of the 48% consumed away from home, 43% are purchased in stores, 35.5% in restaurants or fast-food establishments, and 1.4% in schools or day-care settings. Over 20% of sugar-drink kilocalories consumed away from home are obtained in other places such as vending machines, cafeterias, street vendors, and community food programs, among others.

Ogden CL, Kit BK, Carroll MD, Park S. Consumption of sugar drinks in the United States, 2005–2008. NCHS data brief, no 71. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2011.