An update on beverage consumption patterns and caffeine intakes in a representative sample of the US population

Abstract

Caffeine is a popular stimulant, predominantly consumed from beverages. The caffeinated beverage marketplace is continually evolving resulting in considerable interest in understanding the impact caffeinated beverages have on levels of intakes. Therefore, estimates of caffeine intakes in the U.S. population were calculated using a recent 2022 beverage survey, the Kantar Worldpanel Enhanced Beverage Service. A nationally representative sample of 49,700 consumers (aged ≥2 years) completed a 1-day beverage intake survey which collected data on beverage type/category, amount and brand. Approximately 69% of the U.S. population consumed at least one caffeinated beverage per day. The mean (±SE) daily caffeine intake of caffeine consumers (age >2 years) from all beverages was 210 ± 1.5 mg. Caffeine intake was highest in consumers aged 50–64 years (246 ± 4.5 mg/day) and lowest in children aged 2–5 (42 ± 2.4 mg/day). At the 90th percentile intake was 520 mg/day for all ages combined. Coffee was the largest contributor (69%) to caffeine intake across all age groups followed by carbonated soft drinks (15.4%), tea (8.8%), and energy drinks (6.3%). This study indicates that an increase in caffeine intake has occurred with a corresponding shift in beverage consumption patterns compared to previous surveys.