266926 A Comprehensive Examination of Total Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in the US through Advanced Methodology

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 2:30 PM - 2:50 PM

Paige Miller, PhD, MPH, RD , Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Robin McKinnon, PhD , Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Amy Subar, PhD, MPH, RD , Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Susan Krebs-Smith, PhD, MPH, RD , Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Lisa Kahle, BA , IMS Calverton Office, Information Management Services, Inc., Calverton, MD
Jamie F. Chriqui, PhD, MHS , Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Jill Reedy, PhD, MPH, RD , Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
Background: Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has been linked with poor diet quality, weight gain, and increased risk for obesity. Previous studies have been hampered by inconsistent definitions and a failure to capture all sources of SSBs comprehensively.

Objective: To examine consumption of SSBs, defined as all presweetened beverages (e.g., soda, fruit drinks) and, importantly, beverages for which sugar was added in preparation (e.g., tea with sugar, milk with chocolate syrup). Methods: Data from the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=17,078) were used to estimate total energy and added sugar from SSBs.

Results: SSBs provided 241 total calories and 10.2 teaspoons (171 calories) of added sugar per person per day. The top sources of added sugar from beverages were soda, fruit drinks, tea, coffee, sports drinks, and flavored milks. SSB intake was highest among adolescents, with daily mean intakes of 321 total calories and 15.7 teaspoons (264 calories) of added sugar. Males had higher intakes than females and top sources varied by age, sex, and race.

Conclusions: Using the most comprehensive assessment of SSBs to-date, these findings indicate that Americans consume even more SSBs than previously reported. By including beverages such as coffee and tea for which sugar was added after purchase, these data are more accurate in illustrating the extent to which SSBs contribute to added sugars and calories among all age, sex, and racial groups, and highlight the need for strategies to reduce intake, particularly among groups at high-risk for obesity.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1. List the top five beverage sources of added sugar in the US population. 2. Name the sub-groups with the highest sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. 3. Describe the unique contribution of this new methodology for capturing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

Keywords: Nutrition, Obesity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a Cancer Prevention Fellow at the National Cancer Institute and am focusing on nutrition, obesity, and cancer prevention research. My formal training is in nutritional sciences, epidemiology, and quantitative methods.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.