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Research Article|Articles in Press

Meeting the Healthy People 2030 Added Sugars Target

  • Ellen W. Stowe
    Correspondence
    Address correspondence to: Ellen W. Stowe, PhD, MPH, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway Northeast, Mail Stop S107-5, Atlanta GA 30341.
    Affiliations
    Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

    Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee
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  • Latetia V. Moore
    Affiliations
    Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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  • Heather C. Hamner
    Affiliations
    Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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  • Sohyun Park
    Affiliations
    Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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  • Janelle P. Gunn
    Affiliations
    Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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  • WenYen Juan
    Affiliations
    Division of Nutrition Programs, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland
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  • Mark A. Kantor
    Affiliations
    Division of Nutrition Programs, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Food and Drug Administration, College Park, Maryland
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  • Deborah A. Galuska
    Affiliations
    Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
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      Introduction

      Many Americans exceed the dietary recommendations for added sugars. Healthy People 2030 set a population target mean of 11.5% calories from added sugars for persons aged ≥2 years. This paper describes the reductions needed in population groups with varying added sugars intake to meet this target using 4 different public health approaches.

      Methods

      Data from the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=15,038) and the National Cancer Institute method were used to estimate the usual percentage calories from added sugars. Four approaches investigated lowering intake among (1) the general U.S. population, (2) people exceeding the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation for added sugars (≥10% calories/day), (3) high consumers of added sugars (≥15% calories/day), or (4) people exceeding the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation for added sugars with 2 different reductions on the basis of added sugars intake. Added sugars intake was examined before and after reduction by sociodemographic characteristics.

      Results

      To meet the Healthy People 2030 target using the 4 approaches, added sugars intake needs to decrease by an average of (1) 13.7 calories/day for the general population; (2) 22.0 calories/day for people exceeding the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation; (3) 56.6 calories/day for high consumers; or (4) 13.9 and 32.3 calories/day for people consuming 10 to <15% and ≥15% calories from added sugars, respectively. Differences in added sugars intake were observed before and after reduction by race/ethnicity, age, and income.

      Conclusions

      The Healthy People 2030 added sugars target is achievable with modest reductions in added sugars intake, ranging from 14 to 57 calories/day depending on the approach.
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