Beverage consumption among youth in the United States, 2013\u20132016

Beverages contribute to hydration and affect total calorie intake (1). For all individuals aged 2 years and over, the 2015\u20132020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that water, fat-free and low-fat milk, and 100% juice bethe primary beverages consumed (2). The American Academy of Pediatrics also supports this advice for youth (3). This report describes the contribution of different beverage types to total beverage consumption, by grams, among U.S. youth.Key findingsData from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey\u2022 In 2013\u20132016, water accounted for 43.7% of total beverage consumption among U.S. youth, followed by milk (21.5%), soft drinks (19.9%), 100% juice (7.3%), and other beverages (7.6%).\u2022 The contribution of milk and 100% juice to total beverage consumption decreased with age, while the contribution of water and soft drinks increased with age.\u2022 The contribution of water and milk to total beverage consumption was higher for non-Hispanic Asian youth (55.4% and 25.2%) and lower for non-Hispanic black youth (37.6% and 16.4%).\u2022 The contribution of soft drinks to total beverage consumption was higher among non-Hispanic black (30.4%) compared with non-Hispanic white (17.5%), non-Hispanic Asian (8.8%), and Hispanic youth (21.5%).Suggested citation: Herrick KA, Terry AL, Afful J. Beverage consumption among youth in the United States, 2013\u20132016. NCHS Data Brief, no 320. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2018.CS295509201