Highlights
Food Surveys Research Group
Dietary Data Brief No.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Research Service
Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center
Food Surveys Research Group
www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg
18
• Forty-two percent of
Americans, 2 years and over,
met the 2015-2020 DGA
recommendation for adde
d
s
ugars by limiting adde
d
sugars intake to less than 10%
of
daily calories.
• Adults are more likely than
c
hildren to meet the adde
d
su
gars recommendation
(44% vs. 33%).
• On average, those who met
t
he DGA recommendati
on
c
onsumed 6.7 tsp. eq. (28 g)
of added sugars, and those
who did not consume
d 25.1
tsp. eq. (105 g). [1 tsp. eq. of
added sugars=4.2 grams of
sugars]
• A high percentage (60%) of
A
sians and a low percentag
e
(
31.8%) of non-Hispani
c
B
lacks met th
e
r
ecommendation.
• Household income status di
d
n
ot affect the percentage of
children meeting the
recommendation.
May 2017
Added Sugars Intake of Americans: What
We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2014
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 increase their fruit, vegetables, and whole grains intakes [1]. 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
(WWEIA), NHANES 2013-2014, day 1 dietary data and the Food Patterns
equivalents data (N=8066) [2, 3].
Forty-two percent of Americans, 2 years and over, met the DGA added sugars
recommendation. Overall, significantly more adults, 20 years and over, met
the recommendation than children 2-19 years (44% vs. 33%, p <0.01) (data
not shown in Figure 1).
What percent of Americans meet the DGA added sugars
recommendation?
Figure 1. Estimated percentage* of Americans meeting the DGA 2015-2020
added sugars
1
recommendation by age, WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014
Shanthy A Bowman, PhD; John C Clemens, MS; Carrie L Martin, MS, RD;
Jaswinder Anand, BS; Lois C Steinfeldt, MPH; and Alanna J Moshfegh, MS, RD
1
Limiting added sugars intakes to less than 10 percent of daily calories
*Percentages rounded to integers
Means with same superscripts are not significantly different from each other at p<0.01; Superscript a i
s
u
sed for children comparisons and b and c are used for comparison between adult age groups.
DATA SOURCE: WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014, day 1, individuals 2+ years and FPED 2013-2014
Percent
*
Age (years)
42
40
32 32
39
50
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
All 2-5 6-11 12-19 20-49 50+
a
a
a
b
c
b
FSRG Dietary Data Brief -- No.
18 – May 2017
The estimated mean intake of added sugars was 17.4 teaspoon equivalents (tsp. eq.) or 73 grams, for
all individuals 2+ years (data not shown in table). The estimated mean intakes of added sugars was 6.7
tsp. eq. or 28 grams for those meeting the DGA recommendation and 25.1 tsp. eq. or 105 grams for
those who did not meet the recommendation (Table 1).
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. This finding showed that the
adults who met the recommendation consumed more of nutritious foods such as vegetables, fruit, and
whole grains per calorie than the other group that consumed lower amounts of these foods, but more
calories.
How do the USDA Food Patterns intakes compare by added sugars intake
status?
-2-
Table 1. Estimated mean intakes of energy, added sugars, and selected Food Patterns food groups by
age and added sugars intake status, WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014
* Means significantly different from those consuming < 10% of total calories from added sugars (p<0.01)
tsp. eq.= teaspoon equivalents; cup eq.=cup equivalents; oz. eq.=ounce equivalents. 1 tsp. eq. of added sugars=4.2 grams of sugars
DATA SOURCE: WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014, day 1, individuals 2+ years and FPED 2013-2014
Age Group
(years)
Food Patterns Group
Added sugars intake status
< 10% total
calories
≥10 % total
calories
2-19
Energy (calories) 1812 1922
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.7 22.1*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.0 0.9
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.4 0.8*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 1.0 0.8*
20 and over
Energy (calories) 2045 2218*
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.6 26.3*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.7 1.4*
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.1 0.7*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 1.1 0.7*
All
Energy (calories) 2000 2136*
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.7 25.1*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.6 1.2*
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.2 0.8*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 1.1 0.7*
FSRG Dietary Data Brief -- No.
18 – May 2017
Asians had the highest percentage (60%) and non-Hispanic Blacks had the lowest percentage (32%)
of individuals 2+ years meeting the added sugars recommendation; and no significant differences were
noted between non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics. A lower percentage of non-Hispanic Black
(n=753) children met the recommendation as compared with Hispanic and Asian children. No
statistical differences were seen among non-Hispanic White (n=811), Hispanic (n=997), and Asian
(n=264) children, which may be due to the small sample size of Asian children. A lower percentage of
non-Hispanic Black adults met the recommendation as compared with non-Hispanic White and Asian
adults.
Further comparisons between adults and children within each race-ethnic group showed, except for
Hispanics, significantly (p <0.01) smaller percentage of children than adults met the recommendation
(data not shown in Figure.2), underscoring the need to limit added sugars intake, starting at childhood.
How do the race-ethnic groups fare in meeting the recommendation?
Figure 2. Estimated percentage
*
of children and adults meeting the DGA 2015-2020 added sugars
recommendation
1
, by race-ethnicity, WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014
-3-
1
Limiting added sugars intakes to less than 10 percent of daily calories
* Percentages rounded to integers.
Means with same superscripts are not significantly different from each other at p<0.01; superscripts: All (a,b,c); 2-19 (d,e) ; 20+ (f,g,h)
DATA SOURCE: WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014, day 1, individuals 2+ years and FPED 2013-2014
32
26
34
43
31
46
41
39
42
60
47
64
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
All 2-19 20+
n-H Black n-H White Hispanic Asian
Percent
*
Age (years)
a
b
b
c
d
de
e
e
f
g
fg
h
FSRG Dietary Data Brief -- No.
18 – May 2017
Table 2 compares selected Food Patterns intakes within race-ethnicity based on added sugars intake
status. Non-Hispanic Whites who met the recommendation had higher intakes of vegetables, fruit,
and whole grains than their counterparts. Non-Hispanic Blacks who met the recommendation had
more total fruit; Hispanics had more total fruit and whole grains; and Asians had more total vegetables
and whole grains than those who did not meet the recommendation.
Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks who did not meet the recommendations 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.
How do the USDA Food Patterns intakes compare within race-ethnic groups?
-4-
Table 2. Estimated mean intakes of energy, added sugars, and selected Food Patterns food groups by
race-ethnicity and added sugars intake status, WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014
Race-Ethnicity Food Patterns Group
Added sugars intake status
< 10% total
calories
≥10 % total
calories
non-Hispanic White
Energy (calories) 2028 2119
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.8 25.2*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.6 1.3*
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.1 0.7*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 1.1 0.8*
non-Hispanic Black
Energy (calories) 1962 2213*
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.6 26.8*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.3 1.1
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.1 0.8*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 0.9 0.7
Hispanic
Energy (calories) 1989 2183*
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.7 24.4*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.4 1.3
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.4 0.9*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 0.9 0.5*
Asian
Energy (calories) 1786 1955
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 5.0 18.8*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.8 1.3*
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.2 1.1
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 1.4 0.7*
* Means significantly different from those consuming < 10% of total calories from added sugars (p<0.01)
tsp. eq.= teaspoon equivalents; cup eq.=cup equivalents; oz. eq.=ounce equivalents. 1 tsp. eq. of added sugars=4.2 grams of sugars
DATA SOURCE: WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014, day 1, individuals 2+ years and FPED 2013-2014
FSRG Dietary Data Brief -- No.
18 – May 2017
Household income status did not affect the percent of children meeting the recommendation.
Irrespective of the household income status, only about one-third of children met the added sugars
recommendation (Figure 3).
About one-half of the adults living in the highest household income category (> 350% poverty) met the
recommendation compared with 37-40 percent living in the lower household income categories.
What is the impact of household income on meeting the recommendation?
Figure 3. Estimated percentage* of children and adults meeting the DGA 2015-2020 added sugars
recommendation
1
, by household income as percentage of poverty, WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014
-5-
35
33
37
38
32
40
49
32
52
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
All 2-19 20+
<131% poverty 131-350% poverty >350% poverty
Percent
*
Age (years)
1
Limiting added sugars intakes to less than 10 percent of daily calories
* Percentages rounded to integers
Means with same superscripts are not significantly different from each other at p<0.01
superscripts: All (a,b); 2-19 (c) ; 20+ (d,e)
DATA SOURCE: WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014, day 1, individuals 2+ years and FPED 2013-2014
a
b
a
d
c
c
c
d
e
FSRG Dietary Data Brief -- No.
18 – May 2017
Among all three household income groups, those who met the added sugars recommendation had an
eating pattern higher in vegetables, fruit, and wholes grains than those who did not meet the
recommendation, irrespective of their household income status (Table 3). Also, those living in
households with income 131-350 percent of poverty and did not meet the recommendation had an
energy dense eating pattern; they had significantly higher energy intake and lower vegetables, fruit,
and whole grains intakes than their counterparts.
How do the USDA Food Patterns intakes compare within household income
groups?
Table 3. Estimated mean intakes of energy, added sugars, and selected Food Patterns food groups by
household income and added sugars intake status, WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014
-6-
Household income as % Poverty Food Patterns Group
Added sugars intake status
< 10% total
calories
≥10 % total
calories
Less than 131%
Energy (calories) 1953 2108
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.5 27.6*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.3 1.1*
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.1 0.7*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 0.9 0.6*
131%-350%
Energy (calories) 1975 2169*
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.5 25.3*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.6 1.2*
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.2 0.8*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 1.0 0.7*
Greater than 350%
Energy (calories) 2068 2120
Added sugars (tsp. eq.) 6.9 22.5*
Total vegetables (cup eq.) 1.7 1.4*
Total fruit (cup eq.) 1.2 0.8*
Whole grains (oz. eq.) 1.3 0.9*
* Means significantly different from those consuming < 10% of total calories from added sugars (p<0.01)
tsp. eq.= teaspoon equivalents; cup eq.=cup equivalents; oz. eq.=ounce equivalents
1 tsp. eq. of added sugars=4.2 grams of sugars
DATA SOURCE: WWEIA, NHANES 2013-2014, day 1, individuals 2+ years and FPED 2013-2014
FSRG Dietary Data Brief -- No.
18 – May 2017
In general, children and adults who met the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020
recommendation for added sugars, by consuming less than 10 percent of the total calories from added
sugars, had better eating patterns than those who did not meet the recommendation. This finding was
also true across all household income groups.
Children are less likely, than adults, to meet the added sugars recommendation underscoring the
importance of good nutrition at a young age.
Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics who did not meet the added sugars recommendation had a more
energy-dense eating pattern than those who met the recommendation by eating significantly more
calories and less of nutritious foods such as vegetables, fruit, and whole grains.
What are the implications of the study?
-7-
FSRG Dietary Data Brief -- No.
18 – May 2017
Added sugars are defined as caloric sweeteners that are added to foods as an ingredient during
preparation, processing, or at the table. Added sugars do not include naturally occurring sugars such as
lactose present in milk and fructose present in fruit and 100% fruit juice. Examples of added sugars
include brown sugar, cane sugar, confectioners sugar, dextrose, granulated sugar, white sugar, corn
syrup and corn syrup solids, undiluted fruit juice concentrates, honey, molasses, and all types of caloric
syrups such as maple syrup, table syrups, and pancake syrup. One teaspoon equivalent of added sugars
is defined as 4.2 grams of sugars, the amount present in one teaspoon of granulated sugar. For details
on the computation of added sugars and other Food Patterns food groups, see reference #3.
USDA Food Patterns include the five food groups, vegetables, fruit, grains, dairy, and protein foods;
and oils, solid fats, alcoholic drinks, and added sugars.
Units of measurement: For further details on the units of measurement such as ounce and cup
equivalents for specific foods and food groups, see reference #3.
Definitions, Computations, and Units of Measurement Used in the Food
Patterns Equivalents Database 2013-2014
(1) What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2014, day 1 dietary data were used to estimate Food
Patterns equivalents intakes. Study sample included 8066 individuals, aged 2 years and over
(excluding breast-fed children) with complete and reliable intake records in the survey. Sample
weights were applied in the analysis to produce nationally representative estimates.
(2) Food Patterns Equivalents Database and the corresponding data sets 2013-2014 provided USDA
Food Patterns equivalents intake data, which included added sugars data.
Data sources
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015-2020
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at
http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/. Accessed May 18, 2017.
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition
Research Center, Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville, Maryland, 2013-2014 Food Patterns
Equivalents Databases and Datasets. Available at:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg.
Accessed May 18, 2017.
3. Bowman SA, Clemens JC, Friday JE, Lynch KL, and Moshfegh AJ. 2017. Food Patterns
Equivalents Database 2013-14: Methodology and User Guide [Online]. Food Surveys Research
Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland. Available at:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg Accessed May 18, 2017.
References
-8-
www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg
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FSRG Dietary Data Brief -- No.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Research Service
Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center
Food Surveys Research Group
All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without
permission. However, citation as to source is appreciated.
Copyright information
18 – May 2017
Bowman SA, Clemens JC, Martin CL, Anand J, Steinfeldt LC, and Moshfegh AJ. Added Sugars
Intake of Americans: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2013-2014. Food Surveys Research Group.
Dietary Data Brief No. 18. May 2017.
Suggested citation
Shanthy A. Bowman, John C. Clemens, Carrie L. Martin, Jaswinder Anand, Lois C. Steinfeldt, and
Alanna J. Moshfegh are with the Food Surveys Research Group, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research
Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD.
About the authors
