Added Sugars in Adults’ Diet: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2015-2016

Authors: Bowman, Shanthy; Clemens, John; Friday, James; Lacomb, Randy; PAUDEL, DEVANDRA - University Of Maryland; SHIMIZU, MIYUKI - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group
Publication Type: Research Technical Update
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2019
Publication Date: 11/18/2019
Citation: Bowman, S.A., Clemens, J.C., Friday, J.E., LaComb, R.P., Paudel, D., Shimizu, M. 2019. Added Sugars in Adults’ Diet: 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: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 (DGA) recommend that Americans limit their added sugars intake to less than 10 percent of daily calories. This study focuses on foods and beverages that are major sources of added sugars in the diets of adults aged 20 years and over. The study used What We Eat in America (WWEIA), NHANES 2015-2016, day 1 dietary data and the Food Patterns equivalents data 2015-2016. WWEIA Food Categories were used to group foods and beverages. Overall, 47 percent of adults met the 2015-2020 DGA recommendation for added sugars by limiting added sugars intake to less than 10 percent of daily calories. There was no significant difference between the percentage of males (49 percent) and females (45 percent) meeting the recommendation, at p<0.01. On average, the adults who met the recommendation obtained 5.1 percent, and the adults who did not meet the recommendation obtained 19.4 percent of total calories from added sugars. The adults who did not meet the DGA recommendation consumed about four times more added sugars than the adults who met the recommendation. Food and beverage sources of added sugars in the males’ and females’ diets followed a similar pattern, though the mean amounts differed. Sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, and sports and energy drinks were the top source of added sugars providing about one-third of added sugars in the males’ diets and about one-fourth of added sugars in the females’ diet. Sweet bakery products such as cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, doughnuts, sweet rolls, and pastries were the second highest source; followed by tea and then by coffee, each containing add sugars. Beverages including sweetened beverages, and tea and coffee containing added sugars together provided about one-half of added sugars in adults’ diet. The study finding underscores the need for dietary interventions aimed to limit intakes of beverages that contain added sugars.

Technical Abstract: The study highlights the top food and beverages sources of added sugars in the diets of adults aged 20 years and over. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 (DGA) recommend that Americans limit their added sugars intake to less than 10 percent of daily calories. What We Eat in America (WWEIA), NHANES 2015-2016, day 1 dietary data and the Food Patterns equivalents data 2015-2016 were used for the analysis. WWEIA Food Categories were used to group foods and beverages. Sample weights were applied in data analysis to get nationally representative estimates. The study included 5017 adults. Forty-nine percent of males and 45 percent of females met the added sugars recommendation. However, these percentages were not significantly different at p< 0.01. In addition to analyzing the sources of added sugars in the overall diets of males and females, the study also estimated the amounts of added sugars from foods and beverages in the diets of males and females grouped based on whether they met the DGA recommendation or not. Estimated mean intakes of added sugars was 5.1 percent of total calories for adults who met the recommendation and 19.4 percent for the adults who did not meet the recommendation. For both males and females, the top six sources of added sugars were sweetened beverages, sweet bakery products, tea, coffee (each containing added sugars), candy, and other desserts. On average, males obtained 37 percent and females obtained 28 percent of added sugars from sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, and sports and energy drink. Sweet bakery products such as cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, doughnuts, sweet rolls, and pastries were the second highest source providing 11 percent of added sugars in all males’ and 15 percent in all females’ diet. Tea and coffee (each containing added sugars) were the third and the fourth highest sources; and both males and females obtained about 17 percent of added sugars from tea and coffee, combined. In general, beverages were the sources of about one-half of added sugars in adults’ diet. This finding underscores the need for dietary interventions aimed to limit intakes of beverages that contain added sugars. .