Americans consume nearly 80 pounds of sugar a year: survey

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

The survey of 2,000 Americans found that the average person eats 99 grams of sugar a day, which is more sugar than is in two 12-ounce cans of soda. Over the course of a year, that’s almost 80 pounds of sugar.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Hint Water, the survey sought 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.

Which makes sense considering that 34% of respondents admitted that the majority of their fluid intake on a typical day comes from their morning coffee. Twenty-eight percent say their fluid intake is mostly soda.

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

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

In fact, more than half (51%) are working to drink enough water, specifically to prevent sugar cravings.

“The study revealed 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” , said Amy Calhoun Robb, Sr. marketing officer at Hint Water. “And while it’s important to show the room for improvement we have, 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%), irritable (22%), impatient (20%) and unproductive (20%).

The main scenarios that can make respondents crave something sweet are watching a movie (31%), finishing a meal (31%), needing a midday burst of energy (30%) and having a bad day at work (19%).

Mid-afternoon is the most dangerous time for sugar-lovers, with cravings most likely to hit at 3.12pm, the survey found.

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 fix if it’s not already to hand: more than one in 10 (12%) said they’ll take time out of their busy schedules, no matter what, to get a treat.

After filling up on sugar, respondents reported crashing 33 minutes later, on average, and were most likely to feel tired (42%), sad (25%) and unfocused (21%) .

“Whether you just want a post-meal treat or need a boost during your workday, 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 is possible to enjoy delicious food and drink without sugar or guilt, it just takes a little intentionality and finding brands and products that prioritize your health as much as you do.”

Survey methodology:

This random double-choice survey of 2,000 Americans in the general population was commissioned by Hint Water between May 30 and June 3, 2024. It was conducted by a market research firm. Search for speakersteam members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Marketing Opinion and Research (DREAM).