Adults Who Order Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: Sociodemographics and Meal Patterns at Fast Food Chains.
Approximately 30% of adults consume sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) daily, many at fast food restaurants. Researchers examined fast food purchases to better understand which consumers order SSBs, particularly large SSBs.



Fast food customers in New York City and New Jersey provided receipts and participated in a survey during 2013-2014 (N=11,614). Logistic regression analyses predicted three outcomes: ordering no beverage or a non-SSB, a small/medium SSB, or a large SSB. Among respondents who ordered a beverage (n=3,775), additional analyses predicted number of beverage calories and odds of ordering an SSB. Covariates included demographic and behavioral factors.



Respondents aged 18-29 years were 88% more likely to order a large SSB than a non-SSB or no beverage, as compared with respondents aged ≥50 years (p<0.001). Among respondents who purchased a beverage, respondents ordered more beverage calories with a large combination meal (+85.13 kcal, p=0.001) or if the restaurant had a large cup size >30 ounces (+36.07 kcal, p=0.001). Hispanic and Asian respondents were less likely to order a large SSB (AOR=0.49 and 0.52, respectively, both p≤0.026) than non-Hispanic white respondents. Odds of ordering a large SSB were higher for respondents who ate in the restaurant (AOR=1.66, p<0.001) or stated that they chose beverage based on price (AOR=2.02, p<0.001).



Young adults and customers of restaurants with a larger cup size were more likely to purchase SSBs, and their beverage calories increased with meal size. Increased understanding of these factors is an important step toward limiting unhealthy SSB consumption.
Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. Electronic address: taksleg@ccf.org.
Glen B
GB
Taksler
Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
Kamila
K
Kiszko
Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
Courtney
C
Abrams
Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York; New York University Wagner School of Public Service, New York, New York.
Brian
B
Elbel
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D057140:Fast Foods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
JAMA. 2006 Apr 5;295(13):1549-55
16595758
Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Aug;84(2):274-88
16895873
J Nutr. 2006 Nov;136(11):2901-7
17056820
J Urban Health. 2008 May;85(3):375-85
18347992
Physiol Behav. 2010 Apr 26;100(1):4-9
20045423
JAMA. 2010 Jan 20;303(3):242-9
20071470
BMJ. 2011 Jul 26;343:d4464
21791497
Food Nutr Res. 2011;55:null
21845142
Public Health Nutr. 2012 Feb;15(2):299-306
21859510
J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Nov;111(11):1696-703
22027052
NCHS Data Brief. 2011 Aug;(71):1-8
22617020
JAMA Pediatr. 2013 Jan;167(1):14-20
23128151
Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Jul;98(1):180-8
23676424
Obesity (Silver Spring). 2013 Nov;21(11):2172-9
24136905
JAMA. 2014 Feb 26;311(8):806-14
24570244
J Community Health. 2014 Dec;39(6):1117-23
24671367
Ann Intern Med. 2014 Apr 15;160(8):517-25
24733192
Prev Chronic Dis. 2014 Apr 24;11:E65
24762529
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014 Aug 15;63(32):686-90
25121711
Am J Public Health. 2015 Apr;105(4):e61-4
25713971
J Acad Nutr Diet. 2015 May;115(5):767-79
25746935
J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016 Apr;116(4):638-59
26194333
NCHS Data Brief. 2015 Nov;(219):1-8
26633046
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 Feb 26;65(7):169-74
26914018