Over the past two decades, the number of adults consuming sugar-sweetened beverages such as soft drinks, fruit drinks and punches has increased dramatically in the U.S.

Researchers examined changes over the past two decades in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption based on national survey data. They found that sugar-sweetened beverages comprise a significant source of total daily beverage intake, and are in fact the largest source of beverage calories consumed daily.

From 1988 to 2004, the percentage of sugar-sweetened beverage drinkers increased by five percent. Per capita consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages increased 46 kilocalories per day, and daily sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among drinkers increased 6 ounces per day.

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was highest among young adults, who consumed roughly 20 percent of their sugar-sweetened beverage calories at work, and lowest among the elderly.