Coffee additions are adding extra calories to US diets, study says
A Tufts study of 30,000 U.S. adults found coffee intake stayed near 13 ounces per day from 2003 to 2018, while average calories from coffee rose from 43 to 60 kcal/day. Nondairy creamer, sugar or syrup, and dairy milk were the main calorie contributors in 2018. The researchers note that additions can raise intake of added sugar and saturated fat.
The analysis drew on eight NHANES cycles spanning 2003–2018 and included about 30,000 adults aged 20 and older, each providing two 24-hour diet recalls. Researchers separated plain coffee beverages from those with additions and categorized additions such as dairy milk, nondairy creamer, sugar or syrup, and sugar substitutes.
By 2018, dairy milk was the largest addition by weight, followed by nondairy creamer and sugar. Nondairy additions rose over the period, especially nondairy creamer and nondairy milk. In calorie terms, nondairy creamer contributed the most in 2018, ahead of sugar and dairy milk.
The findings could matter to people who regularly drink coffee with additions, since small daily calorie and saturated-fat increases may add up over time. Dietitians, food manufacturers, and public-health communicators may use such data to guide clearer choices about creamers and sweeteners. Because the study describes reported intake rather than outcomes, its practical effect may depend on how consumers interpret and act on the information.