NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 320 ■ September 2018

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Beverage Consumption Among Youth in the

United States, 2013–2016

Kirsten A. Herrick, Ph.D., M.Sc., Ana L. Terry, M.S., R.D., and Joseph Afful, M.S.

Key findings

Data from the National 

Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey

● In 2013–2016, water 

accounted for 43.7% of total 

beverage consumption among 

U.S. youth, followed by milk 

(21.5%), soft drinks (19.9%), 

100% juice (7.3%), and other 

beverages (7.6%).

● The contribution of milk and 

100% juice to total beverage 

consumption decreased with 

age, while the contribution of 

water and soft drinks increased 

with age.

● The contribution of water 

and milk to total beverage 

consumption was higher for 

non-Hispanic Asian youth 

(55.4% and 25.2%) and lower 

for non-Hispanic black youth 

(37.6% and 16.4%).

● The contribution of soft 

drinks to total beverage 

consumption was higher among 

non-Hispanic black (30.4%) 

compared with non-Hispanic 

white (17.5%), non-Hispanic 

Asian (8.8%), and Hispanic 

youth (21.5%).

Beverages contribute to hydration and affect total calorie intake (1). For 

all individuals aged 2 years and over, 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). The American Academy of Pediatrics also 

supports this advice for youth (3). This report describes the contribution of different 

beverage types to total beverage consumption, by grams, among U.S. youth.

Keywords: drinks • NHANES

What was the contribution of different beverage types to 

total beverage consumption among youth in 2013–2016?

Water accounted for 43.7% of total beverage consumption among U.S. youth, 

followed by milk (21.5%), soft drinks (19.9%), 100% juice (7.3%), and other 

beverages (7.6%) (Figure 1).

 

Figure 1. Contribution of beverage types to total beverage consumption among youth aged 2–19 

years: United States, 2013–2016

 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/

db320_table.pdf#1 

 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 320 ■ September 2018

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Were there differences in the contribution of different types of beverages to 

total beverage consumption among youth, by sex, in 2013–2016?

Water accounted for a smaller percentage of total beverage consumption among boys compared 

with girls, 41.6% and 45.9% (Figure 2). Milk accounted for a larger percentage of total beverage 

consumption among boys compared with girls, 22.8% and 20.2%. The contribution of 100% 

juice, soft drinks, and other beverages to total beverage consumption did not differ by sex.

Figure 2. Contribution of beverage types to total beverage consumption among youth aged 2–19 years, by sex:

United States, 2013–2016

 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db320_table.pdf#2 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 320 ■ September 2018

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Were there differences in the contribution of different types of beverages 

consumed among youth, by age, in 2013–2016? 

The contribution of water to total beverage consumption increased with age, from 39.5% to 41.9% 

and 47.0%, among youth aged 2–5, 6–11, and 12–19 years (Figure 3). Soft drink consumption 

also increased with age (13.0%, 20.9%, and 22.3%), as did other beverages (3.0%, 5.5%, and 

11.3%). The contribution of milk to total beverage consumption decreased with age, from 32.1% 

among those aged 2–5 years, to 24.4% and 14.5% among those aged 6–11 and 12–19 years, 

respectively. 100% juice followed a similar pattern, decreasing from 12.4% to 7.3% and 4.9%.

Figure 3. Contribution of beverage types to total beverage consumption among youth aged 2–19 years, by age:

United States, 2013–2016

 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db320_table.pdf#3 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 320 ■ September 2018

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Were there differences in the contribution of different types of beverages 

consumed among youth, by race and Hispanic origin, in 2013–2016?

Water contributed to more than one-half (55.4%) of total beverage consumption among 

non-Hispanic Asian youth, higher than non-Hispanic white (46.0%), non-Hispanic black (37.6%) 

and Hispanic (40.4%) youth (Figure 4). All differences by race and Hispanic origin were significant. 

Milk accounted for 25.2% of total beverage intake among non-Hispanic Asian youth, 22.4% among 

non-Hispanic white youth, and 21.8% among Hispanic youth, all higher than among

non-Hispanic black youth (16.4%).

Soft drinks accounted for the greatest proportion of total beverage consumption for non-Hispanic 

black youth (30.4%), followed by Hispanic (21.5%), non-Hispanic white (17.5%), and

non-Hispanic Asian youth (8.8%). All differences by race and Hispanic origin were significant. 

For non-Hispanic black and Hispanic youth, 100% juice accounted for 9.9% and 8.7% of total 

beverage consumption, higher than non-Hispanic white (5.8%) and non-Hispanic Asian (6.4%) 

youth.

Other beverages accounted for 4.3% of total beverage consumption among non-Hispanic Asian 

youth, less than non-Hispanic white (8.3%) and Hispanic (7.6%) youth. Other beverages also 

accounted for less total beverage consumption among non-Hispanic black (5.7%) compared with 

non-Hispanic white youth. The observed difference between non-Hispanic black and Hispanic 

youth was not significant.

Figure 4. Contribution of beverage types to total beverage consumption among youth aged 2–19 years, by race and 

Hispanic origin: United States, 2013–2016

 

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db320_table.pdf#4 
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Summary

In 2013–2016, water and milk accounted for close to two-thirds of total beverage intake among 

youth aged 2–19 years. Soft drinks accounted for one-fifth of total beverage intake, followed by 

other beverages and 100% juice among U.S. youth.

Sex differences in the contribution of water and milk were small. Differences by age were more 

pronounced. The contribution of water, soft drinks, and other beverages to total beverage intake 

increased with age, while the contribution of milk and 100% juices to total beverage intake 

decreased with age. 

There were significant differences in the consumption patterns of different beverages by race and 

Hispanic origin. For non-Hispanic Asian youth, water and milk contributed more to total beverage 

intake than for other race and Hispanic-origin groups. Soft drinks accounted for almost one-third 

of total beverage intake for non-Hispanic black youth, significantly more than all other race and 

Hispanic-origin groups; the next largest contribution of soft drinks to total beverage intake was 

21.5% among Hispanic youth. 

Beverage choices can impact diet quality and total calorie intake. Soft drinks accounted for 20% 

of total beverages consumed among youth. They include a wide variety of beverages, typically 

associated with increased intake of added sugar, thus adding extra calories without the benefit of 

vitamins, minerals, and fiber. 100% juice, which accounted for 7% of beverage intake, can provide 

important nutrients, but lacks fiber and can contribute to extra calories when consumed in excess (2).

Definition

Beverages: Beverages were grouped as: water, milk, soft drinks, 100% juice, and other beverages. 

Water included unsweetened bottled and tap water, both carbonated and non-carbonated varieties. 

Milk included dairy milk substitutes, such as soy milk. Soft drinks, both diet and non-diet forms, 

included soda and fruit drinks (including sweetened bottled waters and fruit nectars). 100% juices 

included fruit and vegetable juices with no added sugar. Other beverages included coffee, tea, 

sports and energy drinks, and other miscellaneous beverages not included in the groups above. 

Alcoholic beverages were not included. Estimates represent a ratio of the grams of each beverage 

type divided by the total grams of all included beverages, multiplied by 100.
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Data source and methods

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a cross-sectional survey 

conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) designed to monitor the health 

and nutritional status of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population (4). It consists of home 

interviews followed by standardized physical examinations conducted in mobile examination 

centers (MECs). For this report, data were collected through an in-person 24-hour dietary 

recall interview, which covers intake during the day (24 hours, midnight to midnight) before 

the standardized physical examination in the MEC (5). Limitations, such as underreporting, 

associated with 24-hour recalls have been well characterized (6) but do not diminish the utility 

of the NHANES dietary data in assessing population outcomes (7). Beverage consumption, 

expressed as a percentage of total beverage consumption, partially adjusts for misreporting (8,9).

The NHANES sample is selected through a complex, multistage probability design. In 2013–2016, 

non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic persons were oversampled; for more 

information, visit the NHANES website (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/). Race and Hispanicorigin-specific estimates reflect individuals reporting only one race; those reporting more than one 

race are included in the total but are not reported separately. Children who consumed breast milk 

and youth who reported consuming no beverages were excluded from these analyses (less than 

0.5%).

Day 1 dietary weights were used to account for the days of the week, differential probabilities 

of selection, nonresponse, and noncoverage. Taylor series linearization was used to compute 

variance estimates. Differences between groups were tested using a univariate t statistic. Test 

for trends by age were evaluated using orthogonal polynomials to determine linear trends. 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

Kirsten A. Herrick and Ana L. Terry are with the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of 

Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Joseph Afful is with Peraton Corporation. 
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■ 7 ■

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. 

2015–2020 Dietary guidelines for Americans, 8th ed. Available from: https://health.gov/

dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.

3. Heyman MB, Abrams SA; Section on Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition; 

Committee on Nutrition. Fruit juice in infants, children, and adolescents: Current 

recommendations. Pediatrics 139(6). 2017.

4. Johnson CL, Dohrmann SM, Burt VL, Mohadjer LK. National Health and Human 

Examination Survey: Sample design, 2011–2014. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital 

Health Stat 2(162). 2014.

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

MEC in-person dietary interviewers procedure manual. 2016. Available from: https://wwwn.cdc.

gov/nchs/nhanes/continuousnhanes/manuals.aspx?BeginYear=2015.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Hebert 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.

9. Willett W. Nutritional Epidemiology, 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press. 2013.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 320 ■ September 2018

Suggested citation

Herrick KA, Terry AL, Afful J. Beverage 

consumption among youth in the United 

States, 2013–2016. NCHS Data Brief, no 

320. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for 

Health Statistics. 2018.

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

Charles J. Rothwell, M.S., M.B.A., Director

Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Health and Nutrition 

Examination Surveys

Kathryn S. Porter, M.D., M.S., Director

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

Director for Science

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