Increased Adherence to Added Sugars Recommendation Among Americans: What We Eat In America, NHANES, 2005–2008 and 2015–2018

OBJECTIVES: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 recommends limiting intake of added sugars to 10% of daily energy. This research presents results on the usual intake of added sugars among Americans by age and gender in 2005–2008 and 2015–2018. METHODS: The study included nationally representative data from children and adults ages 2 + years (y) participating in the What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2008 (14,851 respondents) and 2015–2018 (16,588 respondents). Dietary intake data, obtained from in-person 24-hour recalls, were collected using an interviewer-administered 5-step USDA Automated Multiple-Pass Method. Added sugars (added in preparation, processing, or at table) were estimated using the USDA Food Patterns Equivalents Databases 2005–2008 and 2015–2018. Usual intake of added sugars and percentage of energy from added sugars were estimated from up to two 24-hour recalls using the National Cancer Institute Method. Age groups were: 2–5 y, 6–11 y, 12–19 y, 20–39 y, 40–59 y, and 60 + y; age groups 12 + y were separated by gender. A t test was used to compare results among age/gender groups and over time; statistical significance for differences was P < 0.01. RESULTS: The mean usual intake of daily added sugars for respondents 2 + years old decreased from 19.2 ± 0.4 teaspoon equivalents (tsp eq) in 2005–2008 to 16.5 ± 0.3 tsp eq in 2015–2018. This corresponds to 27% and 36% of respondents consuming a usual intake of ≤ 10% of energy from added sugars in 2005–2008 and 2015–2018, respectively. Consumption of ≤ 10% of added sugars from energy significantly increased in the following groups: children 2–5 y and 6–11 y and males and females 20–39 y. In 2015–2018, a greater percentage of children 2–5 y (36%) consumed ≤ 10% of energy from added sugars than those 6–11 y (14%) and 12–19 y (males: 16%, females: 14%). For both males and females, a lesser percentage of 12–19 year-olds consumed ≤ 10% of energy as added sugars compared to older age groups (20 + y: 39 to 44%). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, almost two-thirds of Americans did not meet the recommendation to limit added sugars to 10% of energy. However, over a decade, an increase in adherence to the recommendation occurred in children 2–11 y and adults 20–39 y. FUNDING SOURCES: US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.