Trends and patterns in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among children and adults by race and/or ethnicity, 2003-2018

Objective: Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption has declined steadily. This study uses the latest national data to examine trends in SSB consumption among children and adults by race and/or ethnicity and to document whether long-standing disparities in intake remain. Design: Trend analyses of demographic and dietary data measured by 24-h dietary recall from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Setting: Data from the 2003-2004 through 2017-2018 NHANES survey cycles were analysed in 2020. Participants: The study sample included 21 156 children aged 2-19 years and 32 631 adults aged 20+ years. Results: From 2003-2004 to 2017-2018, the prevalence of drinking any amount of SSB on a given day declined significantly among all race and/or ethnicity groups for children (non-Hispanic (NH) White: 81·6 % to 72·7 %; NH Black: 83·2 % to 74·8 %, Hispanic: 86·9 % to 77·2 %) and most race and/or ethnicity groups for adults (NH White: 72·3 % to 65·3 %; Hispanic: 84·6 % to 77·8 %). Consumption declined at a higher rate among NH Black and Hispanic children aged 12-19 years compared with their NH White peers; among NH Black children aged 6-11 years, the rate of decline was lower. Despite significant declines in per capita SSB energy consumption from soda and fruit drinks, consumption of sweetened coffee/tea beverages increased among older children and nearly all adults and consumption of sweetened milk beverages increased among NH White and Hispanic children. Conclusions: SSB consumption has declined steadily for children and adults of all race and/or ethnicity groups, but disparities persist, and overall intake remains high.