Survey finds one-third of Americans consume sugary drinks daily

Washington – About one-third of Americans drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day, which could be contributing to increased obesity and disease, a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests.

Researchers surveyed more than 150,000 adults in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Respondents were asked how often during a 30-day period they drank soda, sugar-sweetened fruit drinks, or sports or energy drinks. Diet drinks, artificially sweetened drinks and drinks with 100 percent fruit juice were excluded.

The prevalence of respondents who consumed at least one sugary drink a day ranged from a low of 18 percent of respondents in Vermont to a high of 48 percent in Mississippi. The adjusted average for all states and the District of Columbia was 30 percent. Prevalence was highest among younger adult age groups, peaking at 43 percent among 18- to 24-year-olds and declining to 19 percent among adults 55 or older.

Frequent intake of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with adverse health outcomes such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that daily intake of calories from added sugars make up no more than 10 percent of total calories. One 12-ounce can of regular cola contains about 150 calories, which is about 5 percent of total calorie needs for active adult men and about 7 percent for active women.

CDC recommends that individuals reduce their calorie intake from sugary drinks by eliminating those beverages or substituting them with no- or low-calorie drinks.

The study was published Feb. 26 in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.