CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Calorie consumption by Americans via soft drinks now far surpasses consumption via milk, U.S. researchers said.
A study by University of North Carolina researchers found the amount of energy Americans obtained through soft drink consumption tripled between 1977 and 2001, while energy from milk dropped.
"Overall, energy intake from sweetened beverages increased 135 percent and was reduced by 38 percent from milk," researchers said. "This trend was mainly driven by the large increase in soft drinks consumed by children and younger adults."
Per-person intake of calories from soft drinks grew from 50 calories to 144 calories a day between 1977 and 2001, while energy from fruit drinks doubled from 20 calories to 45 calories.
Over the same time period, energy intake from milk decreased from 8 percent to 5 percent for all age groups, or from 143 calories to 99 calories.
The largest drop in milk consumption was among children ages 2 to 18. Milk declined from 13.2 percent of their total energy in 1977 to 8.3 percent in 2001. Their soft drink and fruit drink consumption doubled.
Other age groups showed similar trends, the researchers said.
