NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 376 ■ September 2020

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Nonalcoholic Beverage Consumption Among Adults:

United States, 2015–2018

Crescent B. Martin, M.P.H., M.A., Edwina A. Wambogo, Ph.D., M.S., M.P.H., R.D.,

Namanjeet Ahluwalia, Ph.D., D.Sc., and Cynthia L. Ogden, Ph.D., M.R.P.

Key findings

Data from the National 

Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey 

● In 2015–2018, water

accounted for more than

one-half of total nonalcoholic

beverage consumption (51.2%)

among U.S. adults.

● Compared with women,

men consumed more coffee,

sweetened beverages, and fruit

beverages as a percentage of

total beverage consumption,

and less water and tea.

● The contribution of water

and sweetened beverages to

total beverage consumption

decreased with age, while

the contribution of coffee,

tea, milk, and diet beverages

increased with age.

● The contribution of water

(60.7%) and tea (13.6%) to 

total beverage consumption 

was highest among 

non-Hispanic Asian adults, 

while the contribution of coffee 

(17.3%) was highest among 

non-Hispanic white adults.

Beverages play a substantial role in meeting total water intake needs and are a 

major contributor to overall nutrient and caloric intake for the U.S. population 

(1,2). The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that 

water, fat-free and low-fat milk, and 100% juice be the primary beverages 

consumed (2). This report provides estimates of the contribution of beverage 

types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption, by grams, for U.S. adults. 

What was the contribution of different beverage types to 

total nonalcoholic beverage consumption among adults in 

2015–2018?

Water accounted for 51.2% of total nonalcoholic beverage consumption 

among adults on a given day in 2015–2018, followed by coffee (14.9%), 

sweetened beverages (10.2%), tea (8.7%), fruit beverages (5.6%), milk (5.5%), 

and diet beverages (3.8%) (Figure 1). 

NOTES: Percentages are based on total grams of reported nonalcoholic beverage intake and may not sum to 100 due to rounding. 

Access data table for Figure 1 at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db376-tables-508.pdf#1.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015–2018.

Figure 1. Contribution of beverage types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption among 

adults aged 20 and over: United States, 2015–2018

Water

51.2

Coffee

14.9

Sweetened

beverages

10.2

Tea

8.7

Fruit beverages

5.6

Diet beverages

3.8

Milk

5.5

NCHS reports can be downloaded from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/index.htm.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 376 ■ September 2020

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Were there differences by sex in the contribution of different types of 

beverages to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption among adults in 

2015–2018?

Water contributed a lower percentage of total beverage consumption among men (48.2%) than 

women (54.0%), as did tea (7.8% compared with 9.6%) (Figure 2). However, coffee (16.0% for 

men compared with 13.9% for women), sweetened beverages (11.8% compared with 8.7%), and 

fruit beverages (6.1% compared with 5.2%) contributed a higher percentage of total beverage 

consumption among men than women. 

Figure 2. Contribution of beverage types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption among adults aged 20 and over, by 

sex: United States, 2015–2018

1Significantly different by sex. 

NOTES: Percentages are based on total grams of reported nonalcoholic beverage intake and may not sum to 100 due to rounding. Access data table for Figure 2 

at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db376-tables-508.pdf#2. 

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015–2018.

0

20

40

60

80

100 Diet beverages

Milk

Fruit beverages

1

Tea1

Sweetened

beverages1

Coffee1

Water1

Women

54.0

13.9

8.7

9.6

5.2

3.5

5.2

Men

48.2

16.0

11.8

7.8

6.1

4.2

5.8

Percent
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 376 ■ September 2020

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Were there differences by age in the contribution of different types of 

beverages to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption among adults in 

2015–2018?

The contribution of water to total beverage consumption decreased with age: 56.5% among 

younger adults aged 20–39, 49.3% among middle-aged adults aged 40–59, and 46.9% among 

older adults aged 60 and over (Figure 3). The contribution of sweetened beverages also decreased 

with age, and the contribution of fruit beverages was highest among adults aged 20–39. The 

contribution of coffee increased with age, from 9.2% among adults aged 20–39 to 16.1% among 

adults aged 40–59 and 20.5% among adults aged 60 and over. The contributions of tea, milk, and 

diet beverages also increased with age. 

Figure 3. Contribution of beverage types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption among adults aged 20 and over, by 

age: United States, 2015–2018

1Significant increasing trend with age.

2Significant decreasing trend with age.

NOTES: Percentages are based on total grams of reported nonalcoholic beverage intake and may not sum to 100 due to rounding. Access data table for Figure 3 

at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db376-tables-508.pdf#3. 

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015–2018.

Diet beverages1

Milk1

Fruit beverages2

Tea1

Sweetened

beverages2

Coffee1

Water2

0

20

40

60

80

100

20–39

56.5

9.2

13.5

6.7

6.5

5.0

2.6

40–59

Age group (years)

49.3

16.1

10.4

9.6

5.1

5.2

4.4

60 and over

46.9

20.5

5.9

10.3

5.2

6.4

4.9

Percent
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 376 ■ September 2020

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Were there differences by race and Hispanic origin in the contribution of 

different types of beverages to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption 

among adults in 2015–2018?

Water consumption as a percentage of total beverage consumption was highest among 

non-Hispanic Asian adults (60.7%) (Figure 4). Tea intake as a percentage of total beverage intake 

was also highest among non-Hispanic Asian adults (13.6%) compared with non-Hispanic white 

(9.3%), non-Hispanic black (7.1%), and Hispanic (5.5%) adults.

Coffee consumption as a percentage of total beverage consumption was highest among 

non-Hispanic white adults (17.3%), followed by Hispanic (12.6%), non-Hispanic Asian (8.9%), 

and non-Hispanic black (7.3%) adults. Diet beverages as a percentage of total beverage intake 

were also highest among non-Hispanic white adults (4.9%).

The contribution of sweetened beverages to total beverage consumption was higher among 

non-Hispanic black (14.5%) and Hispanic (14.3%) adults, compared with non-Hispanic white 

(9.0%) and non-Hispanic Asian (4.4%) adults. Fruit beverage intake as a percentage of total 

beverage intake was highest among non-Hispanic black adults (13.0%). The contribution of milk 

to total beverage consumption was higher for non-Hispanic Asian (5.9%) and non-Hispanic white 

(5.7%) adults than for non-Hispanic black adults (4.5%).

Diet beverages

Milk

Fruit beverages4

Tea4

Sweetened

beverages

Coffee4

Water

Figure 4. Contribution of beverage types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption among adults aged 20 and over, by 

race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2015–2018

1Significantly different from non-Hispanic Asian.

2Significantly different from Hispanic.

3Significantly different from non-Hispanic black.

4Significantly different between all race and Hispanic-origin groups.

NOTES: Percentages are based on total grams of reported nonalcoholic beverage intake and may not sum to 100 due to rounding. Access data table for Figure 4 

at: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db376-tables-508.pdf#4.

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2015–2018. Percent

0

20

40

60

80

100

Non-Hispanic

black

151.9

7.3

114.5

7.1

13.0

14.5

1.8

Hispanic

52.4

12.6

14.3

5.5

7.8

5.3

2.0

Non-Hispanic

Asian

260.7

8.9

13.6

5.3

5.9

21.3

24.4

Non-Hispanic

white

1,250.0

17.3

1–39.0

9.3

3.9

35.7

1–34.9
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 376 ■ September 2020

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Summary

In 2015–2018, water accounted for more than one-half of total nonalcoholic beverage 

consumption (51.2%) on a given day among U.S. adults. Compared with men, women consumed 

a higher percentage of their total beverages as water and tea and a lower percentage as coffee, 

sweetened beverages, and fruit beverages. The contribution of coffee, tea, milk, and diet 

beverages increased with age, while the contribution of water, sweetened beverages, and fruit 

beverages decreased with age.

Significant differences were seen in beverage consumption patterns by race and Hispanic origin. 

For non-Hispanic Asian adults, water and tea contributed a higher percentage of total beverage 

consumption, and sweetened beverages contributed a lower percentage, compared with other 

race and Hispanic-origin groups. The contribution of coffee and diet beverages was higher for 

non-Hispanic white adults than for other groups. Sweetened beverages accounted for a higher 

percentage of total beverage consumption among non-Hispanic black and Hispanic adults than 

among non-Hispanic white or non-Hispanic Asian adults. The contribution of fruit beverages was 

highest among non-Hispanic black adults.

Beverages vary in their nutrient and calorie contents, and some beverages can contribute excess 

calories while supplying few or no key nutrients (2). The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for 

Americans recommend consuming primarily beverages that are calorie-free or that contribute 

beneficial nutrients (2).

Definition

Beverages: Nonalcoholic beverages are grouped as water, milk, coffee, tea, fruit beverages, 

sweetened beverages, and diet beverages. Water includes tap and bottled water, carbonated or 

noncarbonated. Milk includes flavored varieties, dairy milk substitutes (such as soy or almond 

milk), and milk consumed as part of a combination food (e.g., milk added to cereal). Coffee 

includes brewed and instant coffee as well as prepared coffee drinks that may contain lightener or 

sweetener. Tea includes brewed or prepared teas or herbal teas as well as prepared tea drinks that 

may contain sweetener. Fruit beverages include 100% fruit and vegetable juices, fruit juice drinks 

and nectars, fruit-flavored drinks, and fruit and vegetable smoothies. A fruit beverage category 

was created because 100% juice makes up only 2.5% of total beverage consumption. Sweetened 

beverages include soft drinks, sports and energy drinks, nutritional beverages, and grain drinks 

from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s What We Eat in America (WWEIA) food categories 

(3). Diet beverages include diet soft drinks, diet sports and energy drinks, and other diet drinks 

from WWEIA food categories (3). Alcoholic beverages are not included. 

The contribution of each beverage type to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption was 

computed for each participant who reported any nonalcoholic beverage intake on a given day as 

the grams of that beverage divided by the total grams of all included (nonalcoholic) beverages, 

multiplied by 100. 
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Data source and methods

Data for this report are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 

a cross-sectional survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics and designed 

to monitor the health and nutritional status of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. 

NHANES dietary data are collected through an in-person dietary recall conducted by trained 

interviewers in mobile examination centers, covering intake during the preceding day (24 hours, 

midnight to midnight) (4). Limitations of 24-hour dietary recalls, including underreporting, 

have been well-characterized (5) but do not diminish the utility of such dietary data in assessing 

population outcomes (6). Beverage consumption, expressed as a percentage of total beverage 

consumption, partially adjusts for misreporting (7).

The NHANES sample is selected through a complex, multistage probability design. For survey 

period 2015–2018, non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic persons, among other 

groups, were oversampled to obtain reliable estimates for these population subgroups. 

Non-Hispanic race categories reflect persons reporting only one race; non-Hispanic persons 

reporting more than one race are included in the total but are not reported separately.

Estimates of the contribution of beverage types to total nonalcoholic beverage consumption 

are provided for adults aged 20 and over who reported consumption of nonalcoholic beverages 

(99.9%) on a given day in 2015–2018.

Day 1 dietary weights were used to account for differential probabilities of selection, 

nonresponse, and noncoverage as well as the days of the week and dietary interview nonresponse. 

Taylor series linearization was used to compute variance estimates. Pairwise differences between 

groups were tested using a univariate t statistic. Tests for linear trends by age were evaluated 

using orthogonal polynomials. The significance level for statistical testing was set at p < 0.05. All 

differences reported are statistically significant unless otherwise indicated. Data management and 

statistical analyses were conducted using SAS System for Windows version 9.4 (SAS Institute, 

Inc., Cary, N.C.) and SUDAAN version 11.0 (RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.).

About the authors

Crescent B. Martin, Edwina A. Wambogo, Namanjeet Ahluwalia, and Cynthia L. Ogden are with 

the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 376 ■ September 2020

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References

1. Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and 

sulfate. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 2005.

2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary 

Guidelines for Americans, 2015–2020. 8th ed. 2015.

3. U.S. Department of Agriculture. What We Eat in America, food categories. Available from: 

https://www.ars.usda.gov/northeast-area/beltsville-md-bhnrc/beltsville-human-nutrition-researchcenter/food-surveys-research-group/docs/dmr-food-categories/.

4. National Center for Health Statistics. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 

(NHANES): MEC in-person dietary interviewers procedures manual. 2016 and 2017. Available 

from: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/2015-2016/manuals/2016_MEC_In-Person_

Dietary_Interviewers_Procedures_Manual.pdf, 2016; and https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/data/

nhanes/2017-2018/manuals/2017_MEC_In-Person_Dietary_Interviewers_Manual.pdf, 2017.

5. Subar AF, Freedman LS, Tooze JA, Kirkpatrick SI, Boushey C, Neuhouser ML, et al. 

Addressing current criticism regarding the value of self-report dietary data. J Nutr 145(12):2639–

45. 2015.

6. Ahluwalia N, Dwyer J, Terry A, Moshfegh A, Johnson C. Update on NHANES dietary data: 

Focus on collection, release, analytical considerations, and uses to inform public policy. Adv Nutr 

7(1):121–34. 2016

7. Hébert JR, Hurley TG, Steck SE, Miller DR, Tabung FK, Peterson KE, et al. Considering the 

value of dietary assessment data in informing nutrition-related health policy. Adv Nutr 5(4):447–

55. 2014.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 376 ■ September 2020

Keywords: drinks • National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 

(NHANES)

Suggested citation

Martin CB, Wambogo EA, Ahluwalia 

N, Ogden CL. Nonalcoholic beverage 

consumption among adults: United States. 

2015–2018. NCHS Data Brief, no 376. 

Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health 

Statistics. 2020.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in 

the public domain and may be reproduced 

or copied without permission; citation as to 

source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health 

Statistics

Brian C. Moyer, Ph.D., Director

Amy M. Branum, Ph.D., Acting Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Health and Nutrition 

Examination Surveys

Ryne Paulose-Ram, M.A., Ph.D., Acting 

Director

Lara J. Akinbami, M.D., Acting Associate 

Director for Science

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