Americans consume about 80 pounds of sugar a year: survey

According to a recent study, the average American consumes over 36,000 grams of sugar per year.

The survey of 2,000 Americans found that the average person ingests 99 grams of sugar a day, which is more sugar than there is in two 12-ounce cans of soda. Over the course of a year, that adds up to nearly 80 pounds of sugar.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Hint Water, the survey aimed to uncover Americans’ sugar consumption habits and the surprising way sugar has affected their hydration levels.

According to the results, the majority of respondents (85%) are actively working to reduce their sugar intake.

This makes sense given that 34% of respondents admitted that the majority of their fluid intake on a regular day comes in their morning coffee. Twenty-eight percent say their fluid intake consists primarily of soda.

However, more than half of respondents (51%) believe that when they crave sugar, their bodies are actually craving hydration.

And seeing that, on average, respondents reported drinking just 48 ounces of water on a typical day, it’s no surprise that improving hydration is the No. 1 health goal of respondents.

In fact, over half (51%) are working to drink enough water, especially to prevent sugar cravings.

“The study found that, on a typical day, the average respondent consumed more than twice the amount of sugar recommended by the American Heart Association and significantly less water than recommended by the US National Academy of Medicine,” Amy said. Calhoun Robb, Chief. marketing officer at Hint Water. “And while it’s important to show how much room we have for improvement, it’s also important to understand why that is.”

The emotions most likely to trigger sugar cravings, according to the results, include stress (39%), boredom (36%), fatigue (24%) and loneliness (17%).

And when craving sugar, respondents reported feeling anxious (23%), nervous (22%), impatient (20%) and unproductive (20%).

The main scenarios that can lead respondents to enjoy something sweet are watching a movie (31%), finishing a meal (31%), needing energy at midday (30%) and a bad day at work (19%).

Midday is the most dangerous time for sugar-lovers as the survey found cravings are most likely to hit at 3.12pm.

So how long can the average Joe last before he caves and turns to sugar? It turns out, only 13 minutes.

And some will take drastic measures to find a sweet solution if it’s not already ready: More than one in 10 (12%) said they’ll find time in their busy schedules — no matter what — to get a dessert.

After having their sugar high, respondents reported crashing 33 minutes later, on average, and most were likely to feel tired (42%), remorseful (25%) and unfocused (21%).

“Whether you just want a sweet treat after a meal or need a boost during your work day, you may find yourself relying on sugar more than you think. And from there, it can be easy to lose focus on your health goals, including healthy hydration,” said Calhoun Robb. Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice your health goals and settle for bland options. It’s it’s possible to enjoy great-tasting foods and drinks without sugar or guilt, it just takes a little determination and finding brands and products that prioritize your health as much as you do.”

Survey methodology:

This random two-choice survey of 2,000 Americans of the general population was commissioned by Hint Water between May 30 and June 3, 2024. It was conducted by the market research company Speaker researchwhose team members are members of the Market Research Society (Ms.) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).