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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 #363810
Research Project: The Role of Dietary and Lifestyle Factors on Nutrition and Related Health Status Using Large-Scale Survey Data

Location: Food Surveys Research Group

Title: Beverage Choices among Adults: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2015-2016

Author
item Moshfegh, Alanna
item Garceau, Anne
item PARKER, ELIZABETH - University Of Maryland School Of Medicine
item Clemens, John

Submitted to: Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group
Publication Type: Research Technical Update
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/8/2019
Publication Date: 5/16/2019
Citation: Moshfegh, A.J., Garceau, A.O., Parker, E.A., Clemens, J.C. 2019. Beverage Choices among Adults: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2015-2016. Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group. Available: https://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg/wweia/dbrief.

Interpretive Summary: Beverages contribute significant amounts of energy and nutrients in the diets of adults. Using nationally representative survey data from 2015-2016, this research presents results on beverage consumption among U.S. adults, age 20 years and over, and describes the energy and nutrients that beverages contribute to overall intake. On any given day, males consumed about 12 cups of beverages and women about 10 cups. After water, the most commonly consumed beverage was coffee/tea and sweetened beverages, mostly in the form of soft drinks. Beverages provided nearly 1 out of every 6 calories, more than half of added sugars intake, about 1/3 of vitamin C intake and 1/4 of vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and potassium intakes. This research emphasizes the impact that beverage intake has on the overall diets of U.S. adults. The data brief is available on the FSRG website www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg.

Technical Abstract: Beverages contribute significant amounts of energy and nutrients in the diets of adults. This research presents results on beverage consumption among U.S. adults. The study sample (n= 5,017) included nationally representative data from individuals 20 years and over participating in What We Eat in America, NHANES 2015-2016. Dietary intake data were obtained from an in-person 24-hour recall, collected using the interviewer-administered 5-step USDA Automated Multiple-Pass Method. The most commonly consumed beverage was water, reported by 86% of adults, followed by coffee/tea (69%) and sweetened beverages (42%). More than half of the sweetened beverages reported were soft drinks. On any given day, males consumed about 12 cups of beverages and women about 10 cups, of which 6 cups was water, regardless of gender. Following water, alcoholic beverages were consumed in the largest amount. Among those consuming beer, males drank twice as much (about 36 fluid ounces) as women (about 18 fluid ounces), but among those consuming wine, women drank more (9 fluid ounces) than men (6 fluid ounces). Beverages provided 17% of total daily energy intake, with more than half of this coming from alcoholic and sweetened beverages. More than half of the mean daily intake of added sugars was consumed as a beverage. Beverages also provided about 1/3 of vitamin C intake and about 1/4 of vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, and potassium intakes. This research emphasizes the impact that beverage intake has on the overall diets of U.S. adults. The data brief is available on the FSRG website www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg.