Baltimore (June 8, 2019) - The beverages we drink represent a substantial source of our daily calories and nutrients, yet standardized methods for tracking beverage consumption have been limited. In the latest and most comprehensive assessment of worldwide beverage consumption, researchers report substantial differences in the beverages consumed by different demographic groups in 185 countries.

"These preliminary data derived from the Global Dietary Database project can help inform nutrition transitions over time, the impacts of these beverages on global health, and targeted dietary policy to improve diet and health," said lead study author Laura Lara-Castor, a doctoral student in the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. Lara-Castor will present the research at Nutrition 2019, the American Society for Nutrition annual meeting, held June 8-11, 2019 in Baltimore.

"Notably, sugar-sweetened beverage and fruit juice intake was highest in the Latin American region, where both commercial and homemade sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit drinks are widely consumed," said Lara-Castor. "Milk intake was highest in the high-income region (including countries such as Sweden, Iceland and Finland) where dairy farming is more widespread and dairy consumption has been traditionally a major part of the diet."

The research is based on 2015 data from more than 1,100 surveys representing 6.78 billion people worldwide, along with data on beverage availability and other information.

The researchers found consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was highest in Mexico, where the average adult drank more than 19 ounces per day (equivalent to roughly 2.5 cups per day), followed by Suriname and Jamaica, where adults drank nearly 15 ounces per day. The lowest intake was in China, Indonesia and Burkina Faso.

Fruit juice intake was highest in Colombia (about 11 ounces or 1.4 cups per day) and the Dominican Republic (nearly 10 ounces per day) and lowest in China, Portugal and Japan.

Milk consumption was highest in Sweden (more than 10 ounces or 1.3 cups per day), followed by Iceland and Finland, where adults drank just over 9 ounces per day, on average. China, Togo and Sudan showed the lowest average milk intake.

Within regions and countries, beverage consumption was generally highest among younger people, those who had attained a higher education level and those living in urban areas.

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This work was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Laura Lara-Castor will present this research on Saturday, June 8, from noon - 1 p.m. in the Baltimore Convention Center, Halls A-B (poster #22) (abstract). Contact the media team for more information or to obtain a free press pass to attend the meeting.

Please note that abstracts presented at Nutrition 2019 were evaluated and selected by a committee of experts but have not generally undergone the same peer review process required for publication in a scientific journal. As such, the findings presented should be considered preliminary until a peer-reviewed publication is available. Lara-Castor and co-authors will provide final estimates in a forthcoming manuscript.

About Nutrition 2019

Nutrition 2019 is the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held June 8-11, 2019 at the Baltimore Convention Center. It is the national venue for more than 3,600 top researchers, practitioners and other professionals to announce exciting research findings and explore their implications for practice and policy. Scientific symposia address the latest advances in cellular and physiological nutrition and metabolism, clinical and translational nutrition, global and public health, population science, and food science and systems. http://www. nutrition. org/ N19 #Nutrition2019

About the American Society for Nutrition (ASN)

ASN is the preeminent professional organization for nutrition research scientists and clinicians around the world. Founded in 1928, the society brings together the top nutrition researchers, medical practitioners, policy makers and industry leaders to advance our knowledge and application of nutrition. ASN publishes four peer-reviewed journals and provides education and professional development opportunities to advance nutrition research, practice and education. http://www. nutrition. org