U.S. adults and child snacking patterns among sugar-sweetened beverage drinkers and non-drinkers

To provide national estimates of snack patterns for sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) drinkers and non-SSB drinkers among U.S. children and adults.

We analyzed 24-h dietary recall data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2010 among children (ages 2 to 19) and adults (aged 20 and older) (N=46,932).

For children and adults, SSB drinkers were significantly more likely than non-SSB drinkers to consume snacks (children: salty, 60% vs. 50%; sweet, 69% vs. 65%; adults: salty, 64% vs. 58%; sweet, 64% vs. 58%), calories from snacks (children: salty snacks, 258 vs. 213 kcal; sweet snacks, 322 vs. 291 kcal; adults: salty snacks, 261 vs. 236 kcal; sweet snacks, 370 vs. 350 kcal), and total calories (children: 2098 vs. 1,804 kcal; adults: 2329 vs. 2,049 kcal) (p<0.05). Among adolescents, Blacks had a significantly higher percentage of SSB drinkers and salty snack consumers than Whites and Hispanics (SSB consumers: White, 79%; Black, 86%; Hispanic, 82%; salty snack consumers: White, 56%; Black, 62%; Hispanic, 54%; p<0.05). All ages were more likely to consume sweet snacks at home (p<0.05).

Adults and children who drink SSBs are more likely to snack and consume more calories from snacks than non-SSB drinkers, particularly Black adolescents and young adults.