Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Sweetened beverages, sometimes known as sugar-sweetened beverages or SSBs, range from carbonated and noncarbonated soft drinks to energy drinks and vitamin and other sweetened waters.

Here are some facts about sugar-sweetened beverages:

• Approximately one-half of the population 2 years of age and older consumes sugar drinks on any given day
• Males consume an average of 178 calories from sugar drinks daily, while women consume 103 calories
• People who drink sodas, juices, and other caloric beverages do not compensate for these calories by consuming fewer calories in food, which is a major factor contributing to overweight and obesity
• People who drink sugary sodas consume more calories overall than those who do not
• Individuals who drink sugar-sweetened beverages consume fewer healthful beverages, such as milk, water, and 100% fruit juices, compared to those who do not drink sodas
• Most carbonated beverages, fruit drinks, fruit juices, iced teas, sports drinks, and energy drinks contain similar calories, from 120 to 160 calories/12-fluid-ounce (fl oz) serving—the body processes these beverages the same way it processes sugar
• Soda servings have increased over the years:
  • A typical 20-fl-oz soda contains 15 teaspoons (tsp) of sugar
  • The average sports drink contains approximately 10 tsp of sugar
• Soda consumption may contribute to dental decay because of:
  • The sugar in regular soda
  • Acids in both diet and regular soda
• To burn off the 250 calories in a 20-fl-oz soda, a 135-pound person would need to:
  • Walk 3 miles in 45 minutes
  • Play 40 minutes of vigorous basketball
  • Bicycle vigorously for 22 minutes

References and recommended readings

Mello MM, Pomeranz J, Moran P. The interplay of public health law and industry self-regulation: the case of sugar-sweetened beverage sales in schools. Am J Public Health. 2008;98(4):595-604.

Ogden CL, Kit BK, Carroll MD, Park S. Consumption of sugar drinks in the United States, 2005-2008: NCHS Date Brief 71. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db71.pdf. Accessed May 3, 2013.

Popkin BM. Patterns of beverage use across the lifecyle. Physiol Behav. 2010;100(1):4-9.
doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.12.022.

Van Horn L, Johnson RK, Flickinger BD, Vafiadis DK, Yin-Piazza S; Added Sugars Conference Planning Group. Translation and implementation of added sugars consumption recommendations: a conference report from the American Heart Association Added Sugars Conference 2010. Circulation. 2010;122(23):2470-2490. doi:10.1161/CIR.0b013e3181ffdcb0.

Fountain machines / Calories and sugar in each drink

*American Heart Association: Shouldn’t have more than 36g(M) 24g(W) of added sugar/day.