Trends in intake and sources of caffeine in the diets of US adults: 2001–2010
Open accessAbstract
Background Coffee and tea are traditional sources of caffeine in the diet, but other sources, such as energy drinks, are now available. Because risks and benefits of caffeine use are dose dependent, the public health consequences of caffeine consumption cannot be determined without data on amounts currently consumed by the US population.Objective The objective was to obtain an up-to-date, nationally representative estimate of caffeine consumption in adults.Design Dietary intake data from NHANES from 2001 to 2010 for adults ≥19 y of age were used (n = 24,808). Acute and usual intake of caffeine was estimated from all caffeine-containing foods and beverages. Trends in consumption and changes in sources of caffeine were also examined.Results Eighty-nine percent of the adult US population consumed caffeine, with equal prevalence in men and women. Usual mean ± SE per capita caffeine consumption when nonusers were included was 186 ± 4 mg/d, with men consuming more than women (211 ± 5 vs. 161 ± 3 mg/d, P < 0.05). Usual intake in consumers was 211 ± 3 mg/d, with 240 ± 4 mg/d in men and 183 ± 3 mg/d in women (P < 0.05); 46% was consumed in a single consumption event. In consumers, acute 90th and 99th percentiles of intake were 436 and 1066 mg/d, respectively. Consumption was highest in men aged 31-50 y and lowest in women aged 19-30 y. Beverages provided 98% of caffeine consumed, with coffee (∼64%), tea (∼16%), and soft drinks (∼18%) predominant sources; energy drinks provided <1%, but their consumption increased substantially from 2001 to 2010.Conclusions Although new caffeine-containing products were introduced into the US food supply, total per capita intake was stable over the period examined.
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Trends in caffeine consumption have been stable among adults for the past two decades.
“Trends in caffeine consumption have been stable among adults for the past two decades (6).”
From The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive Review (2017) · cites this paper as [6]
More than 85% of adults in the U.S. regularly consume caffeine, with an average daily intake of about 180 mg/day.
“Recent estimates in adults suggest that more than 85% of adults in the U.S. regularly consume caffeine, with an average daily intake of about 180 mg/day, about the amount of caffeine in up to two cups of coffee (6, 26).”
From The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive Review (2017) · cites this paper as [6]
Average caffeine intakes increase from about 50 mg/day in childhood (aged 2-11 years) to 180 mg/day in adulthood.
“Average caffeine intakes increase from about 50 mg/day in childhood (aged 2–11 years) to 180 mg/day in adulthood (6).”
From The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive Review (2017) · cites this paper as [6]
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“It has been recently reported that nearly 90% of the US population consumes caffeine with an average per capita daily intake of 186mg (13).”
BackgroundInfluential
- Authors
- Fulgoni, V. L., Keast, D. R., & Lieberman, H. R.
- Affiliations
- U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fulgoni, Victor L
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-05
- Volume
- 101
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1081-1087
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2052808640
- Cited by
- 266
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 38 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 6
- FWCI
- 21.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
- Department of Defense Center Alliance for Dietary Supplement Research
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Coffee research and impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Keywords
- caffeine consumption, dietary caffeine, coffee consumption, tea consumption, energy drinks, soft drinks, usual dietary intake, sex differences, age differences, caffeine sources, NHANES
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Beverages, Caffeine, Carbonated Beverages, Coffee, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diet, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Nutrition Surveys, Tea, United States, Young Adult, Energy Drinks
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