Sugar Consumption and Addiction Statistics
Americans take in about 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day, two to three times the recommended limits, and roughly 1 in 5 people screen positive for addiction-like eating on the Yale Food Addiction Scale.
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How Much Added Sugar Americans Eat
The average American takes in about 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day. National dietary surveys put the figure at 17 teaspoons for adults aged 20 and older, and the same 17 teaspoons for children and teens aged 2 to 19.[1]
Seventeen teaspoons works out to roughly 60 pounds of added sugar in a year, and two to three times the daily amount major health groups recommend.[2] Added sugars are the ones put in during processing, not the sugar found naturally in fruit or milk.[1]
- Americans average about 17 teaspoons of added sugar a day, roughly 60 pounds a year and two to three times the recommended limits[1][2].
- Men average 19 teaspoons a day and women 15; among young people, boys average 18 and girls 15[1].
- About half of adults and nearly two-thirds of youth drink at least one sugary drink on a given day[3][4].
- Intake climbed for decades, peaked around 2003, and has fallen since, yet still sits above the recommended 10% of daily calories[5].
- About 1 in 5 people screen positive for addiction-like eating on the Yale Food Addiction Scale, though “sugar addiction” is not a formal diagnosis[6][7].
The Average Is About 17 Teaspoons a Day
That 17-teaspoon average comes from What We Eat in America, the dietary arm of the national health survey, for 2017 to 2018.[1] It counts only added sugars, so the natural sugar in an apple or a glass of milk is not part of the total.
The number is strikingly steady across adults and children. Adults 20 and older average 17 teaspoons a day, and so do young people aged 2 to 19.[1] Heavy sugar intake is not something people grow into as adults. It is there from early childhood.
Recommended Limits Sit Far Below What People Eat
Every major guideline lands well under 17 teaspoons. The American Heart Association caps added sugar at 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 for men.[2] The Dietary Guidelines for Americans set the ceiling at under 10% of daily calories.[8]
| Guideline or Measure | Daily Added-Sugar Limit |
|---|---|
| American Heart Association, women | 6 teaspoons (25 grams)[2] |
| American Heart Association, men | 9 teaspoons (36 grams)[2] |
| Dietary Guidelines for Americans | Under 10% of daily calories[8] |
| World Health Organization, free sugars | Under 10% of energy, ideally under 5%[9] |
| Typical US intake, 2017-2018 | About 17 teaspoons[1] |
The World Health Organization frames its advice around free sugars, which include added sugars plus the sugar in honey, syrup, and fruit juice. It recommends keeping them under 10% of energy, and ideally under 5%, or about 6 teaspoons.[9] The guidance for the youngest children is simplest of all. The Dietary Guidelines advise no added sugar at all before age 2.[8]
Added Sugar Intake by Sex and Age
Men and boys take in more added sugar than women and girls, and the gap shows up early. Adult men average 19 teaspoons a day against 15 for women, while boys aged 2 to 19 average 18 teaspoons against 15 for girls.[1]
| Group | Average Added Sugar per Day |
|---|---|
| Adult men | 19 teaspoons[1] |
| Adult women | 15 teaspoons[1] |
| Boys, ages 2 to 19 | 18 teaspoons[1] |
| Girls, ages 2 to 19 | 15 teaspoons[1] |
Boys and Men Consume the Most
The pattern is consistent from childhood through adulthood. Boys out-consume girls, and men out-consume women, by about 3 to 4 teaspoons a day at each stage.[1] The sex gap in later trend data points the same way, with the heaviest-consuming group skewing male.[5]
Intake Is Already High in Childhood
Children are not sheltered from the national average. A 2-to-19-year-old averages the same 17 teaspoons a day as an adult, and intake climbs steadily through the school years.[1] By the teen years, some groups average a full 20 teaspoons a day, as the breakdown below shows.
Added Sugar Intake by Race and Ethnicity
Added sugar intake differs by race and ethnicity, and the differences are real but modest. Among adults, non-Hispanic Black adults average the most at 19 teaspoons a day and non-Hispanic Asian adults the least at 10.[1] These gaps track the food environment, marketing, and access to fresh food far more than any group’s willpower, and a group average describes a population, not the person reading it.
| Group, Adults 20+ | Average Added Sugar per Day |
|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Black | 19 teaspoons[1] |
| Non-Hispanic White | 17 teaspoons[1] |
| Hispanic | 16 teaspoons[1] |
| Non-Hispanic Asian | 10 teaspoons[1] |
Intake Rises Through Childhood in Every Group
The same survey breaks children into three age bands, and in every racial and ethnic group the numbers climb from the preschool years to the teens.[1] Non-Hispanic Asian children consistently average the least, and by ages 12 to 19 non-Hispanic Black and White young people average the most.
| Race and Ethnicity | Ages 2-5 | Ages 6-11 | Ages 12-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Black | 13 teaspoons | 19 teaspoons | 20 teaspoons |
| Non-Hispanic White | 12 teaspoons | 18 teaspoons | 20 teaspoons |
| Hispanic | 11 teaspoons | 16 teaspoons | 15 teaspoons |
| Non-Hispanic Asian | 7 teaspoons | 12 teaspoons | 14 teaspoons |
All figures above are from What We Eat in America, 2017 to 2018.[1]
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption
Drinks are where a lot of the sugar hides. Sugar-sweetened beverages are a leading source of added sugar in the American diet, and on any given day about half of adults and nearly two-thirds of young people drink at least one.[1][3][4]
Sugary drinks also make up a meaningful share of daily calories. Men take in an average of 179 calories a day from them and women 113, while boys average 164 and girls 121.[3][4]
| Group | Share Drinking One or More Daily | Average Calories From Sugary Drinks | Share of Daily Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults overall | About half[3] | Men 179, women 113[3] | Men 6.9%, women 6.1%[3] |
| Youth, ages 2 to 19 | Nearly two-thirds[4] | Boys 164, girls 121[4] | Boys 7.3%, girls 7.2%[4] |
Young Adults and Older Teens Drink the Most
Consumption is not even across ages. Young adults have the highest intake and the highest share of daily calories from sugary drinks among adults, and older teens lead among youth.[3][4] Non-Hispanic Asian adults and children consistently drink the least.[3][4]
Sugary Drinks Start in the Preschool Years
The habit begins early. From 2021 to 2023, a national survey found that 55.9% of children aged 1 to 5 had consumed at least one sugar-sweetened beverage in the previous 7 days.[10] More than half of American preschoolers, in other words, are already drinking sugary beverages in a typical week.
Sugar Consumption Over Time
Added sugar intake is not fixed. Across national surveys from 1977 to 2012, calories from added sugar rose considerably through about 2003, then fell substantially in the years that followed, for both children and adults.[5]
By 2011 to 2012, children aged 2 to 18 were getting an average of 326 calories a day from added sugar and adults 308 calories.[5] Both figures still sat above the recommended limit of 10% of total calories.[5]
| Period | Added-Sugar Trend |
|---|---|
| 1977 to 2003 | Considerable increase for children and adults[5] |
| 2003 to 2012 | Substantial decline[5] |
| Children, 2011-2012 | 326 calories per day from added sugar[5] |
| Adults, 2011-2012 | 308 calories per day from added sugar[5] |
The Decline Reached Every Level of Intake
The drop after 2003 was not limited to light consumers. It showed up evenly across the whole range, from the lightest to the heaviest sugar consumers.[5] The heaviest quintile was more likely to be male, and among children more likely to be non-Hispanic White.[5]
Where Added Sugar Comes From
Two categories supply most of the added sugar Americans eat: sugar-sweetened beverages, and desserts and sweet snacks.[1] Drinks matter out of proportion to their size because the sugar in them is easy to swallow quickly and does little to fill you up.
| Source Category | Common Examples |
|---|---|
| Sugar-sweetened beverages | Regular soda, fruit drinks, sweetened coffee and tea, energy and sports drinks[1][2] |
| Desserts and sweet snacks | Cookies, cakes, pies, ice cream, doughnuts, pastries[1] |
| Candy and sweetened dairy | Candy, sweetened yogurt, flavored milk[2] |
| Cereals and bars | Breakfast cereals, granola and cereal bars[2] |
Drinks Are the Single Biggest Source
Beverages lead the list for a reason. One 12-ounce can of regular soda holds about 10 teaspoons of added sugar, close to or beyond a full day’s recommended limit in a single serving.[2] Cutting back on sugary drinks is the change that moves the total the most.
How Common Addiction-Like Eating Is
Feeling out of control around sweet, rich food is common and measurable, even though “sugar addiction” is not a diagnosis anyone can be given. Researchers measure the pattern with the Yale Food Addiction Scale, and across studies about 1 in 5 people screen positive.[6][7]
A systematic review of 25 studies covering 196,211 people found a weighted average of 19.9% screening positive.[6] A larger review of 272 studies put the figure at 20%, rising to 55% among people with a clinical diagnosis of binge eating.[7]
| Measure or Group | Screen Positive on the Scale |
|---|---|
| Pooled across 25 studies (196,211 people) | 19.9%[6] |
| Pooled across 272 studies | 20%[7] |
| People with clinical binge eating | 55%[7] |
| Higher-scoring groups | Adults over 35, women, higher-weight, and clinical samples[6][7] |
It Is Addiction-Like Eating, Not a Formal Diagnosis
The number describes a screening result, not a disease. Screening positive on the scale means a person reports the kinds of experiences that define addiction, such as loss of control and continued use despite harm, applied to food.[11] Whether that amounts to a true addiction is still debated among scientists.[7]
Some Groups Screen Positive More Often
The pattern is not evenly spread. Both major reviews found higher rates among adults over 35, among women, among people at higher body weights, and in clinical samples compared with the general community.[6][7] The foods involved are usually the same sweet, rich, processed ones that dominate the added-sugar figures.
What the Numbers Mean for Health
Health agencies link high added-sugar intake to weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, and connect sugary drinks specifically to weight gain, metabolic syndrome, dental cavities, and type 2 diabetes.[1][3]
The evidence here is about correlation across large populations. Sugary drinks are associated with these conditions, and the association is consistent enough that agencies flag it, but it is not proof that sugar alone causes any single case.[3] Diet, activity, genetics, and circumstance all move together.
Getting Help for Loss-of-Control Eating
If the addiction-like eating figures sound familiar from your own life, the numbers point to something useful. A pattern shared by 1 in 5 people, shaped by an environment engineered around cheap sugar, is not a personal failing.[7][5] It is a common experience with real support behind it.
The help that works best targets the eating and the feelings underneath it, not the number on a scale. Learning what sugar does to the body and brain, understanding why sugar cravings hit so hard, and finding gentle ways to cut back on sugar tend to do more than another strict ban. The wider sugar addiction debate and the food addiction statistics fill in the science behind these numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How Much Added Sugar Does the Average American Eat?
About 17 teaspoons a day, based on national dietary surveys for 2017 to 2018[1]. The figure is the same for adults and for children aged 2 to 19, and it adds up to roughly 60 pounds a year, two to three times the recommended limits[2].
How Much Added Sugar Is Recommended per Day?
The American Heart Association caps added sugar at 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 for men[2]. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans set the limit at under 10% of daily calories[8], and the World Health Organization advises keeping free sugars under 10% of energy, ideally under 5%[9].
Where Does Most Added Sugar in the American Diet Come From?
Two categories lead: sugar-sweetened beverages, and desserts and sweet snacks[1]. Drinks matter most because the sugar is easy to swallow fast and does little to fill you up, and a single 12-ounce soda holds about 10 teaspoons of added sugar[2].
Is Sugar Consumption in the US Going Up or Down?
It rose for decades, peaked around 2003, and has fallen since, largely because people drink less soda[5]. Even so, average intake for both children and adults still sits above the recommended 10% of daily calories[5].
How Many People Are Addicted to Sugar?
“Sugar addiction” is not a formal diagnosis, so no one is diagnosed with it. What researchers can measure is addiction-like eating on the Yale Food Addiction Scale, and about 1 in 5 people screen positive, near 19.9% in one large review and 20% in another[6][7]. The rate reaches 55% among people with clinical binge eating[7].
Does Sugar Cause Obesity and Diabetes?
Health agencies link high added-sugar and sugary-drink intake to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, but these are population associations, not simple cause and effect[1][3]. High intake raises risk across groups without determining any single person’s health.
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