TABLE 3.
Mean total sugar intake (g/d) and proportion of total sugar intake deriving from junk foods consumed by US adults in NHANES 2015–2018
| All adults (n = 10,001) | Male (n = 4850) | Female (n = 5151) | Mexican American (n = 1554) | Non-Hispanic white (n = 3467) | Non-Hispanic black (n = 2238) | Age 19–29 y (n = 1771) | Age 30–59 y (n = 4735) | Age ≥60 y (n = 3495) | <185% federal poverty level (n = 4062) | 185–350% federal poverty level (n = 2273) | >350% federal poverty level (n = 2598) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breads | 0.6 (1.1%) | 0.7 (1.1%) | 0.6 (1.3%) | 0.7 (1.4%) | 0.6 (1.1%) | 0.9 (1.4%) | 0.5 (0.9%) | 0.6 (1.0%) | 0.9 (2.0%)1 | 0.6 (1.0%) | 0.6 (1.0%) | 0.7 (1.4%) |
| Cheese and cheese products | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) | 0.0 (0.0%) |
| Confectionery | 4.8 (8.8%) | 5.0 (8.0%) | 4.7 (10.0%) | 4.7 (9.6%) | 5.3 (9.4%) | 5.0 (8.0%) | 4.8 (8.5%) | 5.1 (8.7%) | 4.4 (9.7%) | 4.3 (7.4%) | 4.4 (7.5%) | 5.5 (11.2%) |
| Dairy with added sugar | 0.5 (0.9%) | 0.5 (0.8%) | 0.6 (1.3%) | 0.5 (1.0%) | 0.6 (1.1%) | 0.1 (0.2%)2 | 0.6 (1.1%) | 0.6 (1.0%) | 0.5 (1.1%) | 0.7 (1.2%) | 0.5 (0.8%) | 0.4 (0.8%) |
| Desserts | 12.6 (23.2%) | 13.5 (21.6%) | 11.8 (25.2%)3 | 12.4 (25.4%) | 12.8 (22.6%) | 12.9 (20.7%) | 9.0 (16.0%)4 | 12.1 (20.7%) | 16.2 (35.8%)1 | 12.1 (20.9%) | 14.5 (24.6%) | 11.9 (24.2%) |
| Processed meat, poultry, and fish | 0.3 (0.6%) | 0.4 (0.6%) | 0.2 (0.4%)3 | 0.2 (0.4%) | 0.3 (0.5%) | 0.2 (0.3%) | 0.2 (0.4%) | 0.3 (0.5%) | 0.4 (0.9%) | 0.3 (0.5%) | 0.3 (0.5%) | 0.2 (0.4%) |
| Ready-to-eat cereals | 2.0 (3.7%) | 2.3 (3.7%) | 1.8 (3.8%) | 1.3 (2.7%)5 | 2.3 (4.1%) | 2.2 (3.5%) | 2.2 (3.9%) | 2.1 (3.6%) | 1.7 (3.8%) | 2.3 (4.0%) | 2.4 (4.1%) | 1.6 (3.3%) |
| Salty snacks | 0.2 (0.4%) | 0.3 (0.5%) | 0.2 (0.4%) | 0.2 (0.4%) | 0.3 (0.5%) | 0.2 (0.3%) | 0.3 (0.5%) | 0.2 (0.3%) | 0.2 (0.4%) | 0.2 (0.3%) | 0.2 (0.3%) | 0.3 (0.6%) |
| Sandwiches, burgers, and pizzas | 1.4 (2.6%) | 1.9 (3.0%) | 1.0 (2.1%)3 | 1.0 (2.0%)2 | 1.6 (2.8%) | 1.5 (2.4%) | 1.8 (3.2%) | 1.5 (2.6%) | 1.2 (2.7%) | 1.5 (2.6%) | 1.5 (2.5%) | 1.3 (2.6%) |
| Sugar-sweetened beverages | 22.2 (40.8%) | 27.6 (44.1%) | 17.1 (36.5%)3 | 20.7 (42.3%) | 22.9 (40.5%) | 26.7 (42.9%) | 26.0 (46.3%) | 25.7 (43.9%) | 12.6 (27.9%)1 | 27.7 (47.8%) | 25.0 (42.4%) | 16.4 (33.3%)6 |
| All other foods | 9.4 (17.3%) | 10.3 (16.5%) | 8.6 (18.4%) | 6.7 (13.7%)5 | 9.8 (17.3%) | 12.4 (19.9%) | 10.8 (19.2%) | 10.1 (17.3%) | 7.1 (15.7%)1 | 8.1 (14.0%) | 9.0 (15.3%) | 10.7 (21.7%)6 |
| All food | 54.4 | 62.6 | 46.8 | 48.9 | 56.6 | 62.3 | 56.2 | 58.5 | 45.2 | 57.9 | 58.9 | 49.2 |
1
Different to age 19–29 y and age 30–59 y (P < 0.01).
2
Different to non-Hispanic white (P < 0.01).
3
Different to males (P < 0.01).
4
Different to age 30–59 y and age ≥60 y (P < 0.01).
5
Different to non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black (P < 0.01).
6
Different to <185% federal poverty level and 185–350% federal poverty level (P < 0.01).