Caffeine Consumption Among Youth Ages 2-19: United States, August 2021-August 2023

This report uses August 2021-August 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data to present estimates of the percentage of youth ages 2-19 who consumed caffeine on a given day by age group, sex, and race and Hispanic origin, as well as top sources of caffeine, places of consumption, and where caffeine was obtained.

Data from the August 2021-August 2023 NHANES were used for this analysis. Point estimates and standard errors were calculated using the survey and surveytable packages in R to account for the complex, multistage probability design of NHANES. Day 1 dietary sample weights, which accounted for day of the week and differential probabilities of selection, nonresponse, and noncoverage, were used to produce all estimates. Differences between pairs of estimates were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level.

In August 2021-August 2023, 62.6% of youth consumed caffeine on a given day. Children ages 2-5 were less likely to consume caffeine than other age groups, and no differences were seen between boys and girls. On average, youth consumed 19.4 mg of caffeine on a given day, and mean intake increased with age: 5.0 mg for ages 2-5, 12.0 mg for ages 6-11, and 30.7 mg for ages 12-19. The top five sources of caffeine consumed by youth included both food and beverage items, including sweet bakery products and soda. Most caffeinated products were consumed by youth at home and were purchased from grocery stores.