Calorie Intake, Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption, and Obesity Among New York City Adults: Findings from a 2013 Population Study Using Dietary Recalls

Obesity and overweight-obesity have contributed to increases in early mortality and noncommunicable disease incidence. The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is linked to obesity, weight gain, and metabolic syndrome. To further explore this relationship in a large urban environment, we assessed disparities in calorie intake between SSB and non-SSB consumers and determine the association between varying SSB consumption, obesity, and overweight-obesity using data from a 2013 representative dietary survey conducted in New York City. Results show that adult SSB drinkers consume 193 kcal/day from SSBs, approximately 10 % of daily caloric needs. Compared to non-SSB drinkers, those who consume SSBs have a 572 kcal greater daily intake. Total calorie differences are due to greater SSB calorie and food calorie consumption. Among SSB consumers, each 10-oz increase in SSB consumption is associated with a greater likelihood of obesity (OR 1.62, 95 % CI 1.05, 2.05) and overweight-obesity (OR 2.23, 95 % CI 1.31, 3.80). Additionally, each 10-kcal SSB increase is related to obesity (OR 1.04, 95 % CI 1.01, 1.08) and overweight-obesity (OR 1.07, 95 % CI 1.02, 1.11).