Ten-year trends in sugar-sweetened beverages consumption among Koreans, 2014-2023

This study investigated the 10-yr trends in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption among Koreans.

Data from the 2014-2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, including 62,887 participants, were analyzed. SSBs consumption was assessed as the number of servings per day using a 24-h dietary recall. The proportions (%) of individuals consuming SSBs ≥ 1 and ≥ 2 servings/day were reported. The energy and sugar intakes from SSBs were evaluated. These analyses were also conducted separately among SSBs consumers only (n = 33,396). The trends in SSBs consumption over time were assessed using multivariable linear regression.

Over 2014-2023, SSBs consumption showed decreasing trends among individuals aged 19-29 yrs, from 1.30 servings/day (SE = 0.10) to 0.92 servings/day (SE = 0.08), and those aged 30-49 yrs, from 1.20 servings/day (SE = 0.05) to 0.90 servings/day (SE = 0.05) (P-trends < 0.001). Among SSBs consumers only, a significant decline was observed among children aged 6-8 yrs, from 1.57 servings/day (SE = 0.17) to 1.54 servings/day (SE = 0.15), but no significant changes were observed in other age groups. From 2014 to 2023, the percentage of individuals consuming SSBs ≥ 1 serving/day decreased from 41.4% to 36.3% among the study subjects aged 19-29 yrs, and from 43.6% to 35.2% among those aged 30-49 yrs, but SSBs consumers aged 30-49 yrs showed an increasing trend (from 65.3% to 68.3%) (P-trends < 0.05). In the total subjects, the energy and sugar intakes from SSBs showed decreasing trends among adults (P-trends < 0.05), while no significant changes were observed in children and adolescents.

These findings highlight the age-specific consumption trends of SSBs among Koreans and underscore the importance of continued monitoring of SSBs consumption.