Dietary Sugar Statistics By Production, Age And Facts
Updated · Nov 08, 2024
WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS PAGE
Introduction
Dietary Sugar Statistics: Due to the increasing number of people having health awareness across the globe, there is heightened interest in the consumption of dietary sugars. Indeed, sugar has been one of the most significant contributors to the modern diet, present in products from the sweetened beverage and confectionery industries to commercially prepared meals and bakery products.
Indeed, in a bid to understand the selected health issue and the efforts made to mitigate it, it is useful to look at sugar dietary statistics trends in 2024 in terms of health policies that the public embraces, policies that are affected, and consumer behavior.
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- According to sugar dietary statistics, sugar consumption worldwide reached 177.3 million metric tons in the year 2024, representing a growth of 3.2% over the previous year.
- Each day, the average American’s added sugar intake is estimated to be 17 teaspoons, which equals 71.14 grams of sugar.
- In the US, healthcare costs related to excessive consumption of sugar are estimated to be over 22 billion dollars every year.
- The market sales of products that are sugar-free or have low sugar content reached $50 billion, which is an increase of 9% from the year 2023.
- Over 75% of the top food brands have committed to cutting down the sugar content by 10-15%.
- It is also highly probable that people who climb the sugar consumption pyramid develop type 2 diabetes, a condition whose estimated number of patients in the world stands at 422 million.
- Many sugar dietary statistics, including clinical and molecular chemistry studies, have supported the correlation between sugar consumption and obesity.
- The 34-year study found the intake of two sugar-sweetened beverages per day increases the chances of dying from cancers related to cardiovascular morbidity by 200%.
- On average, the balance of sugar used each year by the world is approximately 165 million tons, which translates to about 23 kilograms per person.
- Sugar dietary statistics indicate that the sugar intake in children increases with age, where children aged 12 to 19 consume three times more sugar than younger children.
- The market for natural sweeteners is forecasted to reach $45.1 billion by 2033 as compared to $24.7 billion in 2023 with a CAGR of 6.2%.
- In the UK, an average teenager or adult consumes three times the recommended daily limits of added sugar, which mostly goes into sweetened flavored beverages.
- Over 650 million adults across the globe, according to the World Health Organization, are found to be obese or overweight, and excessive consumption of sugar is one of the key contributors to this condition.
- Sugar dietary statistics show that Consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks increases the likelihood of developing heart disease by 20% and even more for those who consume such beverages regularly.
- The word obesity can be linked to malnutrition, as almost 50% of the world’s population suffers from dental caries caused by high sugar consumption.
- Mexico ranks among the top countries for television viewing, with a yearly average of 163 liters of sugar-sweetened drinks consumed per person.
Dietary Sugar Key Facts
- Sugar dietary statistics by the Food and Agriculture Organization indicate that the global mean annual sugar consumption per capita has increased from approximately 30 lb in the 1960s to more than 53 lb today.
- Consumption of ‘added sugars’, which is defined as the sugars and syrups that are added to food or beverages during processing, cooking, and at the time of serving, varies from country to country.
- The average American, for instance, consumes nearly 57 pounds of added sweeteners each year, or about 17 teaspoons every day.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that sugar consumption should not exceed 10% of energy consumption for better health.
- The additional revisions reduce it even more to 5%. Several states have embraced those recommendations to encourage people to eat healthier.
- A longitudinal study conducted over 34 years reports that drinking two sugary drinks a day increases the odds of dying from cancer and heart disease by two times.
- Sugar dietary statistics reveal that Annually, approximately 165 million tons of sugar are consumed worldwide, and approximately 23 kilograms of sweeteners are consumed per person.
- More children and teenagers can get excess sugar compared to other age groups.
- As shown by data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), excess sugars contribute to 16% of the dietary calories of American children and adolescents, which is well above the limits set for health maintenance.
- Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) comprising soft drinks, energy drinks, and fruit drinks, among other killed sugars, are regarded as the main source of sugar in the United States.
- A study published in the journal Circulation revealed that 39% of the added sugars consumed by Americans were supplied by these beverages.
- There is a significant relationship between obesity and the consumption of excessive sugar. As reported in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), the odds of obesity increase by 60% with the consumption of one extra sugary drink per day.
- According to the World Dental Federation (FDI) support on sugar dietary statistics, excessive sugar is responsible for dental caries, which are found in 60 to 90% of children in developed countries and practically all adults in most countries.
- In light of the increasing threats to public health, efforts are being undertaken across all nations aimed at controlling excessive sugar consumption.
- These actions include the implementation of a sugar tax, enhancing food labeling to indicate added sugar content, restricting the advertisement of sugar-containing products to children, and advocacy campaigns on healthy diets.
Global Sugar Consumption
(Reference: statista.com)
- In the year 2023/24, the worldwide sugar utilization is estimated to be about 177.33 million metric tons and is anticipated to increase to approximately 178.79 million metric tons in the year 2024/2025.
- Moreover, in recent years, the growth of global trade and the development of agricultural technologies have made it possible for everyone to access sugar at a much lower cost. The main sources of sugar are generally two crops: sugar cane and sugar beets.
- They are different plants that produce the same product, sugar, for use in households. In the year 2021, it was Brazil’s sugarcane plantations that produced the most sugar in the world, while the Russian Republic produced the most sugar beet.
- There has been a gradual increase in the demand for sugar in the world over the years. Global sugar production reached approximately 177 million metric tons in 2022/2023, an increase from 164.7 million metric tons in the comparative 2015/2016 year.
- At this point, the largest source of sugar is India, followed by the European Union and China. In the future, however, it is expected that sugar prices will increase from around $680 a ton in 2026 to about $720 a ton by 2031 in most cases, although these figures are lower compared to those experienced in the year 2022.
- This possible cheapness and abundance are likely to lead to more adverse public health consequences, especially related to high sugar intake.
Global Sugar Production
(Reference: czapp.com)
- For over the past decade, sugar production on the global front has been maintained within the threshold range of 160 to 190 million metric tons, with the figures dialing in at 180.5 million tons for the 2023/24 season.
- This is an improvement of 0.8 million tonnes from the earlier forecast.
- The main reason for this season’s increase in production is partly attributable to the benevolent climatic conditions experienced in Brazil’s Center-South (CS) region, which has allowed the mills to continue processing sugar cane.
- Nevertheless, despite the very high sugar production from CS Brazil, the sugar market is still very strained and prone to shocks.
- This cannot be curbed with supplies from just one region, and therefore, other regions need to come into play. Global sugar production will drop in 2024/25 if there is no production increase from India.
Monthly Sugar Price Index Worldwide
(Reference: statista.com)
- In May 2024, the FAO Sugar Price Index reached a level of 117.1 points, defying the trends since 2023, when price levels soared to their highest in over a decade. Price pressures, in part, have been due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and generally high inflation in the recent past.
- On the contrary, a more than 10% decline in global sugar prices is anticipated in 2024 relative to the prices in the year 2023.
- Global sugar consumption has been on the rise consistently over the last 12 years, starting from slightly over 156 million metric tons during the year 2010/11 to about 176 million metric tons during the year 2022/2023.
- The market size of the sugar sector has not been constant throughout history. In 2012, the worth of this industry was $113 billion USD and less than USD 78 billion in 2022.
- Sugar dietary statistics indicate that more than 66 million metrics of sugar are traded across borders in the year. Sugar is produced in large quantities, with Brazil being the leader.
- This country provides nearly all of the sugar that is exported. Sugar exports are dominated by Thailand and India, which export close to 11 million and 6 million tons of sugar, respectively, per year.
- Japan is the top sugar-importing country, bringing in 5.8 million metric tons, while the third is the United States, whose yearly imports are about 3.1 million metric tons.
(Reference: enterpriseappstoday.com)
- There is no need to worry about the transition to solid food as both breast milk and infant formula, which contain no added sugar, offer infants a nutritionally adequate diet naturally.
- The AHA firmly believes that added sugars should not be introduced to children under two years old.
- Sugar dietary statistics show that 60% of infants and toddlers in the country consume added sugars in sweetened foods such as flavored yogurt desserts and other types of snacks. The change is even more drastic as children mature; the majority of them start consuming excessive amounts of sugar.
- The amount of sugar consumed by children aged 12 to 19 is almost double the amount consumed by younger children.
- Sugars and sweeteners account for about 16% of caloric intake among children and adolescents, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), mostly in the form of convenience snacks, sugary desserts, and sweetened drinks.
- Meet the participants in U.S. AGCGC who surpass the suggested daily sugar intake, which, on average, for an adult in the U.S., is about 77 grams (19 teaspoons) of added sugars.
- In regards to added sugar, sweetened drinks, dessert products, snacks, or manufactured goods, they are all included for adults.
- In addition, the uptake of sugar in older adults is quite complex, with variability often related to the individual's health target and the extent to which they understand the recommendations on nutrition.
- In particular, some older adults may be advised to follow a very restricted low-sugar diet, as in the case of managing diabetes or heart disease.
- Still, there may be older adults who have little or no restrictions on their diets, leading to excessive sugar intake, especially due to a lack of knowledge of nutrition.
- In most cases, for elderly people, some changes in diet might have to be made in consideration of their health, especially in this case where strong sugars may be disguised in lots of processed foods.
- Elderly people sometimes find dusty less sugar appealing because of various weight-loss benefits, bad dental health, or health-related issues.
- However, specialized meals and nutrition exercise programs should be provided to meet health conditions.
Health Impact And Public Policy
- Sugar consumption has risen over the years, and it is one of the major problems contributing to high incidences of obesity and diabetes.
- Sugar dietary statistics show that by the year 2024, close to 13% of the overall adult population across the world will be degree classified as obese, with the North American and European regions exhibiting the highest cases.
- Current estimates suggest that around 530 million individuals across the globe have diabetes, the majority of which is attributable to over-consumption of sugar-containing diets.
- To minimize sugar consumption, many countries have implemented or intensified sugar taxes this year.
- By way of illustration, the sugar tax introduced in the UK on soft drinks raised an estimated $1.2 billion last year, which was then allocated to specific national health care budgets.
- Sugar consumption of sweetened beverages in Mexico is associated with a fall in sugar consumption by 7.5% from the baseline since the tax was implemented.
- Risks associated with high sugar consumption are also being publicized more and more. This has also prompted governments and health agencies to spend more than $500 million on efforts geared toward curbing sugar intake and encouraging healthy dietary habits in the population.
- These tend to focus on certain messages regarding the sugar levels in processed food materials and advise the audience to check the food labels thoroughly.
Consumer Behavior And Awareness
- In 2024, about 65% of consumers, up from 58% in 2023, reportedly monitor the sugar content of food by checking the food labels.
- Sugar dietary statistics indicate a developing health consciousness trend and a willingness to make responsible choices regarding dietary habits.
- However, as consumers tend to look for substitutes, the use of natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar increases.
- Such products have grown by 12% in sales in 2024, as many consumers perceive them as being healthy compared to ‘white’ sugar and artificial sweeteners.
- People are leaning towards fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as opposed to too much-processed foods.
- About 40% of consumers in the U.S. are said to be making a conscious effort to cut down processed sugar intake, which resonates with an overarching trend of eating whole foods, clean eating in particular.
Conclusion
When looking at the projections surrounding dietary sugar statistics in 2024, it is apparent that sugar overconsumption continues to be a health issue, coupled with greater knowledge by the public on its adverse effects. Consumers, the states, and food-related businesses have all been active in indicating a change in consumption patterns in favor of low-sugar diets.
Nutritional trends, together with improvements in sugar substitute technologies and global health interventions, will most probably influence eating habits, health status, and the food industry worldwide shortly.
Sources
FAQ.
As of 2024, it is estimated that the total sugar consumption in the world stood at 177.3 million metric tons, a 3.2% increase from the previous year. Apart from palm sugar, which is the other major source of sugar, sugarcane and sugar beet are the most produced sources of sugar. That is allowed because sugar is present in the vast majority of sweetened drinks, convenience foods, and confectionery.
High sugar intake is associated with health complications and the development of conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, dental cavities, and heart diseases. Excessive sugar consumption fuels the rise of childhood obesity and its associated health risks, as more than 16% of the average caloric intake of children is derived from sugar, much of which is from snacks and sugar-laden beverages and foods.
The rise in understanding of the impact of sugar on health in the population has been accompanied by changes in the implementation of policies such as sugar taxes in some nations, tougher regulations on food labels and banning marketing to children. For example, Health programs in the UK, which were funded by the revenue generated from the taxation of sugary beverages, have been effective, unlike the one in Mexico, which was able to achieve a decline of 7.5% in sugar consumption.
In 2024, 65% of the respondents indicated that they checked food labels for the sugar content in their purchases. This is a significant increase from the sugar level-checking tendencies of the previous years. A lot of individuals are replacing refined sugars with sweeteners that are perceived to be healthier, such as honey, maple syrup, and coconut sugar, which has seen a rise in the market sales of this product segment by 12%.
The consumption of sugar, especially excessive sugar consumption, is a risk factor for chronic conditions, including overweight and diabetes. It is estimated that 13% of the adult global population is obese, with the highest rates of obesity in North America and Europe.
Ketaki Joshi is a professional medical writer with extensive experience in scientific research on illness, health, and healthcare. Her work includes creating feature articles for newsletters and websites, as well as research news stories for doctors and researchers. With a lifelong passion for reading, Ketaki transitioned from a career at a French multinational company to pursue writing professionally. Her dedication to the craft has culminated in the recent release of her first Amazon-published short story, "The Envelope That Changed Our Lives."
