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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Surveys Research Group » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #342022
Title: Added Sugars Intake of Americans: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2014

Author
item Bowman, Shanthy
item Clemens, John
item Martin, Carrie
item Anand, Jaswinder
item Steinfeldt, Lois
item Moshfegh, Alanna

Submitted to: Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/25/2017
Publication Date: 5/26/2017
Citation: Bowman, S.A., Clemens, J.C., Martin, C.L., Anand, J., Steinfeldt, L.C., Moshfegh, A.J. 2017. Added Sugars Intake of Americans: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2014. Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group. Available: www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=19476.

Interpretive Summary: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 (DGA) recommend that Americans limit their added sugars intake to less than 10 percent of daily calories and to increase their fruit, vegetables, and whole grains intakes. This report compares the intakes of selected USDA Food Patterns food groups by Americans who meet the DGA recommendation for added sugars with that of those who do not meet the recommendation, using What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2014 day-1 dietary data. Two means were considered different at p <0.01. There were 8,066 persons in the study. Forty-two percent of Americans, 2 years and over, met the 2015-2020 DGA recommendation for added sugars. More adults than children met the recommendation. Those who met the DGA recommendation, on average, consumed 6.7 teaspoon equivalents or 28 grams of added sugars, and those who did not, consumed 25.1 teaspoon equivalents or 105 grams of added sugars. Among children ages 2-19 years, those who met the added sugars recommendation consumed significantly more total fruit and whole grains than those who did not meet the recommendation. Adults who met the added sugars recommendation consumed significantly more total vegetables, total fruit, and whole grains than those who did not meet the recommendation. Among race-ethnic groups, a high percent (60%) of Asians and a low percent (31.8%) of non-Hispanic blacks met the recommendation. Only one-third of children, irrespective of the household income, met the recommendation. These findings show that children and non-Hispanic blacks are more likely to obtain more than 10 percent of total calories from added sugars. This information is useful to nutritionists, nutrition educators who work with children and minority groups, and nutrition policymakers.

Technical Abstract: This Data Brief compares the intakes of selected Food Patterns food groups by different demographic groups of Americans, ages 2 years and over, grouped based on their added sugars intake status on day 1 of the What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2014 dietary data. There were 8,066 persons in the study. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 (DGA) recommend that Americans limit their added sugars intake to less than 10 percent of daily calories and to increase their fruit, vegetables, and whole grains intakes. The individuals were grouped into two groups: those who met the added sugars recommendation and those who did not meet the recommendation. Forty-two percent of Americans met the recommendation. Those who met the guideline, on average, consumed 6.7 teaspoon equivalents (tsp. eq.) or 28 grams of added sugars and those who did not meet the guideline consumed 25.1 tsp. eq. or 105 grams. Significantly more adults (44%) than children (33%) met the recommendation. Among children, 40 percent of 2-5 years old and 32 percent of 6-19 years old met the recommendation. Among children, those who met the recommendation had higher intakes of total fruit and whole grains, compared with those who did not meet the recommendation. Among adults, those who met the recommendation had a lower energy intake but higher intakes of total vegetables, total fruit, and whole grains, compared with those who did not meet the recommendation. A high percentage (60%) of Asians and a low percentage (31.8%) of non-Hispanic blacks met the recommendation. Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks who did not meet the recommendation had a more energy dense eating pattern than their counterparts by consuming significantly more calories but less of nutritious foods such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.