Are we drinking less soda? The industry says yes.

The CDC has just released two reports on consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, one for adults and one for children and adolescents.

For adults ages 20 and over, the CDC says:

• Half drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage on any given day.
• These contribute 145 calories per day or about 6% of total calories.
• The amount consumed declines with age.

For kids ages 2 to 19, the CDC says:

• More than 60% consume at least one a day.
• Sugary drinks provide an average of 143 calories a day or 7% of total calories.
• Roughly 10% of kids drink 3 or more per day.
• Kids ages 12 to 19 drink the most.

The Washington Post tracked the trends.  The decline in consumption of sugary drinks has slowed down from the peak in about 2000.

Is this trend real?

These figures are based on self-reported intake (or parents’ reports of their kids’ intake) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

I much prefer industry data on sales, which don’t have to deal with the messy business of self-reports.

Fortune Magazine, for example, says soda sales have declined for the last 11 years.

The downward trend is good for public health.  May it continue!