Water led beverage shares by weight
The measure is grams, not calories or a drinking target.
- Event / announcement date
- 2026-09-02
NCHS’s September 2 report used first-day recalls from 6,550 people aged two and older in August 2021–August 2023. Water averaged about 57% of nonalcoholic beverage weight in both youths (2–19) and adults. Researchers calculated each person’s share in grams—not calories or the percentage of people drinking water. [1]
USDA’s November 2024 release describes the broader dietary files: 6,754 participants, two nonconsecutive 24-hour recalls for most, and separate fields for food weight, energy and nutrients. Those distinctions let researchers ask different questions of the same survey, rather than treating weight as a nutritional score. [2]
A March 2025 NCHS whitepaper, explicitly limited-clearance context rather than official estimates, documents the switch from in-person to telephone first interviews. It warns that differences across cycles may reflect intake changes, collection methods or nonresponse. Recalled days cannot establish an individual’s usual diet or 2026 habits. [3]
The source
- NCHS: Beverage weight shares ↗
Source date 2026-09-02 · reviewed October 30, 2026; August 2021–August 2023 data. - USDA ARS: Dietary data release ↗
Source date 2024-11-06 · reviewed October 30, 2026; dietary data from 2021–2023. - NCHS: Dietary interview mode change ↗
Undated reference · reviewed October 30, 2026 · No publication date is given to day; March 2025.
About this item: Retrospective report. No first-hand reporting or independent testing is claimed. Corrections policy.
