Average American consumes this much sugar per day

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

The poll of 2,000 Americans found that the average person ingests 99 grams of sugar per day, which is more sugar than what’s in two twelve-ounce cans of soda.  Over the span of a year, that totals to nearly 80 Ibs of sugar.

Conducted by Talker research on behalf of Hint Water, the survey looked to uncover Americans’ habits regarding sugar consumption and the surprising way sugar has impacted their hydration levels.

According to results, the majority of respondents (85%) are actively working to reduce their sugar intake.

Which makes sense considering that 34% of respondents admitted the majority of their liquid intake on a regular day comes in their morning coffee. Twenty-eight percent say their liquid intake is mostly made up of soda.

However, more than half of respondents (51%) believe that when they’re craving sugar, their bodies are actually craving hydration.

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

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

“The study revealed that, on a regular day, the average respondent consumes more than twice the amount of sugar recommended by the American Heart Association and significantly less water than is recommended by the U.S. National Academy of Medicine,” said Amy Calhoun Robb, chief marketing officer at Hint Water. “And while it’s important to showcase how much room we have for improvement, it’s also important to understand why this is the case.”

The emotions most likely to prompt sugar cravings, according to 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 top scenarios likely to make respondents fancy 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 as the survey found that cravings are most likely to strike at 3:12 p.m.

So how long can the average Joe hold out before caving and turning to sugar? It turns out, only 13 minutes. 

And some will take drastic measures to find a sweet fix if it isn’t already on hand: More than one in 10 (12%) said they’ll make time in their busy schedules — no matter what — to obtain a sweet treat.

After getting their sugar fill, respondents reported they’ll crash 33 minutes later, on average, and most are likely to feel fatigued (42%), regretful (25%) and unfocused (21%).

“Whether you just want a post-meal treat or need a boost during your work day, you might find yourself relying more on sugar than you think you do. 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-tasting foods and drinks without sugar or guilt, it simply takes a bit of intentionality and finding brands and products that prioritize your health as much as you do.”

Survey methodology:

This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned by Hint Water between May 30 and June 3, 2024. It was conducted by market research company Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).