Sugar Consumption Statistics: U.S. Trends, Beverage Intake, and Global Outlook

Quick take

Sugar consumption is not just a question of how much sweet stuff people eat. The dataset shows three different lenses at once: U.S. sweetener availability and deliveries, actual sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and global supply-and-demand projections through 2033.

The result is a more nuanced picture than a simple rise-or-fall story. In the United States, refined sugar has become more prominent in the mix, while HFCS has faded from its 1999 peak. At the same time, adults and children still consume meaningful amounts of added sugar, and global demand is still projected to keep growing (ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades; CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars; OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).

Table of contents

• U.S. sugar availability and deliveries
• What the beverage data says
• Added sugar by age, sex, and group
• How sugar fits into the diet
• Global sugar outlook through 2033
• How to read the numbers

U.S. sugar availability and deliveries

The first layer of the story is how much sweetener is available in the United States per person. That is not exactly the same thing as what every individual eats, but it is a strong signal for broad consumption patterns and food-system demand.

Fast facts

• U.S. caloric sweetener availability reached 123.5 pounds per person in 2023 (ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades).
• That availability peaked at 153.6 pounds per person in 1999 (ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades).
• U.S. total corn sweetener availability fell to 53.0 pounds per person in 2023 from 85.7 pounds in 1999 (ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades).
• U.S. refined sugar availability reached 68.4 pounds per person in 2023 (ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades).
• Refined sugar availability overtook corn sweeteners in 2011 in the U.S. (ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades).

That shift matters because it marks a change in the mix, not just the total. The total amount of sweetener available per person fell from the late-1990s high, but refined sugar became the larger component of the two major categories tracked here.

Availability versus deliveries

Another ERS chart gives a deliveries view for 2021 and shows the market from a slightly different angle.

• U.S. per capita caloric sweetener deliveries rose 1% in 2021 to 127.4 pounds (ERS chart: How sweet it is).
• U.S. refined sugar deliveries rose 1.9% in 2021 to 69.8 pounds per person (ERS chart: How sweet it is).
• U.S. HFCS deliveries fell 1.2% in 2021 to 39.5 pounds per person (ERS chart: How sweet it is).
• U.S. HFCS deliveries peaked at 65.9 pounds per person in 1999 (ERS chart: How sweet it is).
• U.S. other caloric sweeteners rose 2.4% in 2021 (ERS chart: How sweet it is).
• Other caloric sweeteners in the U.S. historically hovered around 20 pounds per person (ERS chart: How sweet it is).
• Sweeteners from imported sugar-containing products reached 7.1 pounds per person in 2021 (ERS chart: How sweet it is).
• Sweeteners from imported sugar-containing products increased 16.4% in 2021 (ERS chart: How sweet it is).
• Including imported sugar-containing products, U.S. per capita sweetener deliveries totaled 134.5 pounds in 2021 (ERS chart: How sweet it is).

A useful way to read that set is as a layered system. The headline total is large, but the ingredients inside it are changing. HFCS is lower than it used to be. Refined sugar is stable to higher. Imported sugar-containing products add another visible layer to the overall picture.

A compact comparison

Measure	Value	Source label
U.S. caloric sweetener availability, 2023	123.5 pounds per person	ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades
U.S. caloric sweetener availability, 1999 peak	153.6 pounds per person	ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades
U.S. refined sugar availability, 2023	68.4 pounds per person	ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades
U.S. total corn sweetener availability, 2023	53.0 pounds per person	ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades
U.S. per capita caloric sweetener deliveries, 2021	127.4 pounds	ERS chart: How sweet it is
U.S. sweeteners including imports, 2021	134.5 pounds	ERS chart: How sweet it is

The table shows why a single metric can be misleading. Availability, deliveries, and total deliveries including imported sugar-containing products all tell related but not identical stories.

What the beverage data says

Sugar-sweetened beverages are a good reality check because they show actual behavior rather than supply-side availability.

How often adults consumed them

• U.S. adults consumed sugar-sweetened beverages on 49.3% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. men consumed sugar-sweetened beverages on 53.6% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. women consumed sugar-sweetened beverages on 45.1% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).

Frequency matters because even modest daily intake compounds over time. The gender split here is consistent: men consumed sugar-sweetened beverages more often than women in the dataset.

How many beverages were consumed on a given day

• U.S. men consumed one sugar-sweetened beverage on 29.1% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. men consumed two sugar-sweetened beverages on 16.0% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. men consumed three or more sugar-sweetened beverages on 8.6% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. women consumed one sugar-sweetened beverage on 27.3% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. women consumed two sugar-sweetened beverages on 11.5% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. women consumed three or more sugar-sweetened beverages on 6.4% of days in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).

The distribution matters more than the average alone. A smaller share of days with multiple servings can still drive a large share of total intake.

Calories from sugar-sweetened beverages

• U.S. adults consumed 145 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. men consumed 179 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• U.S. women consumed 113 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• Men aged 20-39 consumed 249 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• Men aged 40-59 consumed 172 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• Men aged 60 and over consumed 82 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• Women aged 20-39 consumed 160 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• Women aged 40-59 consumed 111 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• Women aged 60 and over consumed 55 kilocalories per day from sugar-sweetened beverages in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).
• Sugar-sweetened beverages accounted for 6.5% of U.S. adults’ total daily calories in 2011-2014 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270).

You can read those age gradients in a straightforward way: intake was higher among younger adults and lower among older adults, for both men and women. The dataset does not tell you why, but it does make the pattern visible.

Added sugar by age, sex, and group

The CDC added-sugars data broadens the picture beyond beverages alone.

Children and teens

• In 2021-2023, 55.9% of U.S. children aged 1-5 years had consumed at least one sugar-sweetened beverage in the past 7 days (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• In 2017-2018, U.S. children and young adults aged 2-19 consumed an average of 17 teaspoons of added sugars per day (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• Boys aged 2-19 consumed 18 teaspoons per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• Girls aged 2-19 consumed 15 teaspoons per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).

A single average can hide a lot of variation. The child and teen data show both the breadth of exposure and the difference by sex.

Children by age and race or ethnicity

Group	Added sugars per day	Source label
Non-Hispanic Black children aged 2-5	13 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Non-Hispanic White children aged 2-5	12 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Hispanic children aged 2-5	11 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Non-Hispanic Asian children aged 2-5	7 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Non-Hispanic Black children aged 6-11	19 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Non-Hispanic White children aged 6-11	18 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Hispanic children aged 6-11	16 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Non-Hispanic Asian children aged 6-11	12 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Non-Hispanic Black young people aged 12-19	20 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Non-Hispanic White young people aged 12-19	20 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Hispanic young people aged 12-19	15 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars
Non-Hispanic Asian young people aged 12-19	14 teaspoons	CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars

The pattern here is useful because it avoids flattening children into one group. Added-sugar intake differs across age bands and across demographic categories.

Adults by age and race or ethnicity

• U.S. adults aged 20 or older consumed an average of 17 teaspoons of added sugars per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• U.S. men aged 20 or older consumed 19 teaspoons per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• U.S. women aged 20 or older consumed 15 teaspoons per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• Non-Hispanic Black adults consumed 19 teaspoons per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• Non-Hispanic White adults consumed 17 teaspoons per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• Hispanic adults consumed 16 teaspoons per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).
• Non-Hispanic Asian adults consumed 10 teaspoons per day in 2017-2018 (CDC Get the Facts: Added Sugars).

These values are not just labels for demographics. They are a reminder that dietary exposure is distributed unevenly across groups.

How sugar fits into the diet

The data also shows that sugar is not just about grams and teaspoons. It is also about the share of calories and where those calories come from.

Added sugar as a percentage of calories

• Non-Hispanic Black men got 14.5% of calories from added sugars in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Non-Hispanic White men got 12.8% of calories from added sugars in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Mexican-American men got 12.9% of calories from added sugars in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Non-Hispanic Black women got 15.2% of calories from added sugars in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Non-Hispanic White women got 13.2% of calories from added sugars in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Mexican-American women got 12.6% of calories from added sugars in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Low-income men got 14.1% (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Middle-income men got 13.6% (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• High-income men got 11.5% (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Low-income women got 15.7% (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Middle-income women got 13.4% (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• High-income women got 11.6% (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).

That income gradient is one of the clearest signals in the dataset. Lower-income adults show a higher percentage of calories from added sugars than higher-income adults.

Foods, beverages, and where calories are consumed

• Added sugars from foods accounted for 67% of adults’ added-sugar calories in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Added sugars from beverages accounted for 33% of adults’ added-sugar calories in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Among adults, 67.2% of added-sugar calories from foods were consumed at home in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).
• Among adults, 57.8% of added-sugar calories from beverages were consumed at home in 2005-2010 (CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122).

That split matters for interpreting interventions. Sugar intake is not confined to one food category or one setting. Foods carry the majority of added-sugar calories, and home is still a major place where both food and beverage calories are consumed.

A practical benchmark

One CDC reference point helps anchor the scale of the issue:

• One 12-ounce can of soda contains more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar, about 42 grams, and about 150 calories (CDC Be Smart About Sugar).
• That 150 calories equals about 7.5% of a 2,000-calorie diet (CDC Be Smart About Sugar).

This is useful because it translates the numbers into an everyday serving size. Once you think in cans rather than abstract grams, the calorie contribution becomes easier to grasp.

Global sugar outlook through 2033

The global outlook adds a long-range perspective and shows that the U.S. is not the only relevant market.

Demand and consumption

• Global sugar consumption is projected to grow by 1.2% per year to 198 million metric tons by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• World average per capita sugar consumption is projected to reach 22.8 kg per capita in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• That world average is 4% above the base period (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Asia is forecast to account for 64% of additional global sugar demand growth (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Africa is forecast to account for 32% of additional global sugar demand growth (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).

Regional context

• Asian per capita sugar consumption is projected to grow 0.9% per year over the next decade (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Asian per capita sugar consumption grew 0.5% per year in the prior decade (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• China’s per capita sugar consumption is projected to stay below 12.8 kg per capita in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• The United States had the highest per capita consumption of caloric sweeteners at 48.1 kg per capita in the base period (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• In the United States, caloric sweeteners represent more than 20% of carbohydrates in the diet (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• In the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe, caloric sweeteners represent at least 12% of carbohydrates in the diet (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).

Production, trade, and the supply chain

• By 2033, HFCS is forecast to represent 32% of caloric sweetener consumption, down from 36% in the base period (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• U.S. HFCS production is projected to remain stable at 7 million metric tons (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Global sugar production is projected to increase by 14% over the outlook period (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Asia is expected to produce about 41% of world sugar output in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• India is expected to add 4.8 million metric tons of sugar production by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Thailand is expected to add 4.4 million metric tons of sugar production by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Raw sugar will still represent 59% of sugar trade in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Imports are expected to account for 37% of global sugar consumption in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Asia is expected to represent 60% of global sugar imports in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Africa is expected to represent 27% of global sugar imports in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Africa’s import dependence is projected to remain at 69% of consumption in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• The European Union’s sugar imports are projected to fall to 1.1 million metric tons by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• By 2033, Brazil, Thailand, and India are expected to account for about three quarters of the sugar export market (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Brazil is projected to hold 64% of raw sugar exports and 15% of white sugar exports by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Thailand is projected to hold 11% of raw sugar exports and 14% of white sugar exports by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• India is projected to hold 5% of raw sugar exports and 11% of white sugar exports by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Brazil’s sugar exports are projected to rise by 6.5 million metric tons to 36 million metric tons in 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• The share of white shipments in Brazil’s exports is projected to rise to 19% from 14% in the base period (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Thailand’s sugar export share is projected to rise from 10.5% to 15% by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).
• Thailand’s export volume is projected to reach 11.5 million metric tons by 2033 (OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).

The global data shows two things at once: sugar demand is still expanding, and the trade map is still concentrated in a small number of major exporters.

How to read the numbers

The safest way to interpret this dataset is to keep the layers separate.

• Availability and deliveries describe the food system and supply chain.
• Beverage intake describes a specific consumption channel.
• Added-sugar teaspoons and percentages describe diet quality and exposure.
• Global projections show where the market may go next.

Read together, the numbers show a clear pattern: U.S. sweetener use has shifted in composition over time, sugar-sweetened beverage intake remains substantial, added sugar intake differs by age, sex, race or ethnicity, and income, and the world sugar market is still expected to grow through 2033 (ERS chart: Corn sweeteners availability declined over the last two decades; CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 270; CDC NCHS Data Brief No. 122; OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033).