According to a new Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, nearly half of the US population consumes sugar drinks on any given day, with teenagers consuming more sugar drinks than any other age group.
The drinks the CDC considers sugar drinks are fruit drinks, sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and sweetened bottled waters. Sugar drinks do not include diet drinks, 100% fruit juice, sweetened teas and flavored milks.
According to the CDC report, males drink on average 175 kcal from sugar drinks on any given day, while females consume 94 Kcal. The report shows that males consume more sweet beverages except in the 2-5 year old category.
Consumption of the beverages peaks in the 12-19 year old demographic and then declines into old age. The group with the highest consumption of sweet beverages is the 12-19 year old males who consume 273 kcal per day, while the group with the lowest consumption rate is the oldest females in the 60 and over category, with a consumption of 42 kcal daily.
The CDC report indicates that there are racial differences in the consumption habits of sugary drinks. The data shows that non-Hispanic black children consume 8.5% of their diet in sweet beverages, while non-Hispanic whites consume 7.7% and Mexican American consume 7.4%.
In the 20 and over category, non-Hispanic blacks again lead in daily consumption with 8.6% of their daily dietary intake as sugary beverages while Mexican American´s consume 8.2% and Non-Hispanic Whites only consume 5.3% of their daily dietary intake as sugary drinks.
In response to the report, some cities are encouraging their citizens to decrease their consumption of sugary drinks. According to Reuters, the city health departments from Los Angeles, Boston, Philadelphia, San Antonio and Seattle announced plans for a campaign to encourage cutting down on sugary beverages.
Michael Jacobson, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) told Reuters, “We´re concerned about sugary drinks because they are the only foods and beverages that have directly been linked to obesity…Reducing their consumption is the perfect place to start to reduce the epidemic.”
The American Beverage Association, in dispute of the report´s findings told ABC News, “Contrary to what may be implied by the introductory statement of this data brief that reaches back 30 years, sugar-sweetened beverages are not driving health issues like obesity. According to an analysis of federal government data presented to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, all sugar-sweetened beverages…account for only 7 percent of the calories in the average American´s diet.”
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