CDC Issues Latest Numbers on SSB Consumption
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the
latest statistics on sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption in 23
states and the District of Columbia, concluding that, in 2013, approximately
30 percent of surveyed adults reported drinking at least one SSB
per day. Sohyun Park, et al., “Prevalence of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage
Intake Among Adults—23 States and the District of Columbia, 2013,”
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Feb. 26, 2016. Relying on
data gathered via Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
telephone survey, the study refined previous questionnaires to solicit
information about the consumption of sweet tea and energy drinks in
addition to regular soda and sweetened fruit beverages.
The results evidently indicate that “at least once daily SSB intake was
most common among persons aged 18–24 years (43.3%), men (34.1%),
blacks (39.9%), persons who reported being unemployed (34.4%), and
persons with less than a high school education (42.4%).” Across all age
groups in Mississippi—the state with the highest prevalence of SSB
consumption—47.5 percent of respondents said they drink at least one
SSB daily and 27.3 percent said they drink two or more SSBs daily. By
comparison, Vermont was the state with the lowest prevalence, with 18
percent of respondents consuming at least one SSB daily.
“As has been reported in other studies that used National Health Interview
Survey and BRFSS data, the prevalence of at least once daily SSB
intake in this analysis was higher in southern states,” note the report
authors. “Higher SSB intake frequency in certain states could result, in
part, from variations in beverage retail environments, including access
and availability, cultural norms, and advertising… Considering potential
adverse health effects of SSB intake and the substantial contribution that
SSBs make to excess dietary sugar, continuation of public health efforts
aimed at decreasing high SSB intake is important.”
Issue 595
