Sugar sweetened and diet drink consumption

Definition

This topic refers to the consumption of selected sugar sweetened and diet drinks including usual frequency and amount drank.

Population

Information was obtained for persons aged 2 years and over.

Methodology

Respondents were asked to report on the number of days per week and metric cups they consumed of selected sweetened or diet drinks. Respondents were provided prompt cards that listed the type of drinks included and excluded in this definition.

For both sugar sweetened drinks and diet drinks, fruit or vegetable juices, flavoured milk, coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages (i.e. beer and wine) were excluded from scope.

Selected sugar sweetened drinks

Includes 'sugar sweetened':

• Cordials, soft drinks and flavoured mineral waters (included when mixed with alcoholic beverages)
• Sports, energy and electrolyte drinks
• Fruit and vegetable drinks that contain added sugar (typically sucrose); e.g. fruit drink poppers
• Flavoured sparkling or spring waters

Selected diet drinks

'Diet' or 'sugar free' varieties.

Includes:

• Diet or sugar free cordials, soft drinks and flavoured mineral waters
• Diet or sugar free sports, energy and electrolyte drinks
• Diet or sugar free fruit and vegetable drinks
• Diet or sugar free sparkling or spring waters

Metric cups

Examples of how to estimate metric cups consumed were provided on a prompt card:

• Cans or bottles or a large glass = 1.5 Cups
• Large takeaway cup or Gatorade bottle = 2 Cups
• Small takeaway cup or a small glass = 1 Cup
• 1.25 Litre bottle (share size) = 5 Cups
• 2 Litre bottle (share size) = 8 Cups

A metric cup is 250 millilitres in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Data items

The questionnaire, data items and related output categories for this topic are available in pdf / Excel spreadsheet format from the Downloads page of this product.

Interpretation

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting the intake of foods containing added sugar, however there is no recommendation on what the limit should be. Guideline 3 says:

• Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added sugars such as confectionary, sugar sweetened soft drinks and cordials, fruit drinks, vitamin waters, energy and sports drinks.

Points to be considered in interpreting this topic include:

• Number of metric cups consumed daily was calculated from information provided about the number of metric cups usually consumed weekly.
• The average number of cups consumed daily was calculated from information provided by respondents who were identified as daily consumers only, and does not include those who do not usually consume daily.

Comparability with 2014-15

The consumption of sugar sweetened and diet drinks was not collected in 2014-15 NHS

The inclusions and collection methodology are slightly different to the definition of 'Sugar Sweetened beverages', previously published in the Australian Health Survey: Nutrition First Results (NNPAS) and data is not comparable to 2017-18 NHS. In NNPAS 'Sugar sweetened beverages' also included fruit and vegetable drinks that contain added sugar, with data based on 24-hour dietary recall information.