25 Caffeine Consumption Statistics

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These caffeine consumption figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.

Key Caffeine Consumption Statistics

The main findings are:

  • In the U.S. NHANES 2011-2012 sample, children ages 4-8 consumed a mean 15 mg of caffeine per day, the lowest reported age-group value, while adults ages 51-70 consumed 213 mg/day, the highest (United States; NHANES participants aged 4 years and older, age groups 4-8 and 51-70).
  • In the U.S. population aged 4 years and older, mean daily caffeine contributions in NHANES 2011-2012 were 90 mg from coffee, 25 mg from tea, and 21 mg from soda (United States; population aged 4 years and older).
  • In the U.S. NHANES 2011-2012 data, the combined population mean caffeine intake was 135 mg/day, while the age-specific extremes were 15 mg/day for ages 4-8 and 213 mg/day for ages 51-70 (United States; age 4 years and older).
  • Mean caffeine intake among U.S. children and adults combined declined from 175 mg/day in NHANES 1999-2000 to 142 mg/day in NHANES 2011-2012 (1999-2000 to 2011-2012; United States; children and adults combined).
  • EFSA concluded that a single caffeine dose up to 200 mg, or about 3 mg/kg body weight, does not raise safety concerns for the general healthy adult population (EFSA scientific opinion published 2015; General healthy adults).
  • The U.S. population aged 4 years and older had a mean caffeine intake of 135 mg/day in NHANES 2011-2012 (United States; population aged 4 years and older).
  • For U.S. adolescents aged 14-19, energy drinks contributed a mean 6 mg/day, equal to 9.9% of their caffeine intake, in NHANES 2011-2012 (United States; adolescents aged 14-19).
  • In Switzerland, mean caffeine intake was 228 mg/day among adults aged 50-64, compared with 202 mg/day in the German-speaking region, 170 mg/day in the French-speaking region, and 133 mg/day in the Italian-speaking region among adults aged 18-64 (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; specified age and linguistic-region groups).
  • The U.S. decline from 175 to 142 mg/day between NHANES 1999-2000 and 2011-2012 was largely associated with soda caffeine falling from 41 to 21 mg/day (1999-2000 to 2011-2012; United States; children and adults combined).
  • EFSA concluded that caffeine intake up to 400 mg/day, about 5.7 mg/kg/day, consumed throughout the day does not raise safety concerns for healthy adults, except pregnant women (EFSA scientific opinion published 2015; General healthy adults).
  • Swiss adults aged 18-75 had a weighted mean caffeine intake of 191 mg/day in the first national nutrition survey (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75).
  • For U.S. adults aged 20-34, energy drinks contributed a mean 5 mg/day, equal to 4.5% of caffeine intake, in NHANES 2011-2012 (United States; adults aged 20-34).
  • The Swiss survey found mean caffeine intake of 228 mg/day among smokers, 197 mg/day among ex-smokers, and 171 mg/day among never-smokers (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75 by smoking status).
  • EFSA reported that a single 100 mg caffeine dose may affect sleep duration and sleep patterns in some adults, especially when consumed close to bedtime (EFSA scientific opinion published 2015).
  • The Swiss survey measured a mean caffeine intake of 2.66 mg/kg body weight/day across adults aged 18-75 (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75).

Contents

How much caffeine people consume

  • In the U.S. NHANES 2011-2012 sample, children ages 4-8 consumed a mean 15 mg of caffeine per day, the lowest reported age-group value, while adults ages 51-70 consumed 213 mg/day, the highest (United States; NHANES participants aged 4 years and older, age groups 4-8 and 51-70). (Sources of Caffeine in Diets…)
  • The U.S. population aged 4 years and older had a mean caffeine intake of 135 mg/day in NHANES 2011-2012 (United States; population aged 4 years and older). (Sources of Caffeine in Diets…)
  • Swiss adults aged 18-75 had a weighted mean caffeine intake of 191 mg/day in the first national nutrition survey (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75). (Caffeine Consumption in Switzerland: Results…)
  • The Swiss survey measured a mean caffeine intake of 2.66 mg/kg body weight/day across adults aged 18-75 (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75). (Caffeine Consumption in Switzerland: Results…)
  • EFSA reported average daily caffeine-intake ranges of 37-319 mg for European adults aged 18-65, 23-362 mg for adults aged 65-75, and 22-417 mg for people aged 75 and older (EFSA Food Consumption Database surveys; published 2015; European Union member-state surveys; specified age groups). (Caffeine)

Population means are based on 24-hour dietary recalls and describe the cited age groups, not every individual.

Estimate comes from one 24-hour dietary recall-based survey cycle.

Cross-sectional survey with 2,057 participants completing two 24-hour recalls; response rate among eligible reachable invitees was 38%.

Body-weight-normalized mean is based on self-reported dietary recalls and modeled usual intake.

These are cross-country ranges, not a single pooled European mean, and survey methods and consumption patterns differ by country.

Which foods and beverages supply caffeine

  • In the U.S. population aged 4 years and older, mean daily caffeine contributions in NHANES 2011-2012 were 90 mg from coffee, 25 mg from tea, and 21 mg from soda (United States; population aged 4 years and older). (Sources of Caffeine in Diets…)
  • For U.S. adolescents aged 14-19, energy drinks contributed a mean 6 mg/day, equal to 9.9% of their caffeine intake, in NHANES 2011-2012 (United States; adolescents aged 14-19). (Sources of Caffeine in Diets…)
  • For U.S. adults aged 20-34, energy drinks contributed a mean 5 mg/day, equal to 4.5% of caffeine intake, in NHANES 2011-2012 (United States; adults aged 20-34). (Sources of Caffeine in Diets…)
  • Coffee supplied 83% of total caffeine intake in the Swiss adult population, followed by tea at 9% and soft drinks at 4% (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75). (Caffeine Consumption in Switzerland: Results…)
  • Swiss men obtained 184 mg/day of caffeine from coffee and 12 mg/day from soft drinks, compared with 139 mg/day and 5 mg/day respectively among Swiss women (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75, by sex). (Caffeine Consumption in Switzerland: Results…)
  • Among Swiss adults, coffee supplied 101 mg/day for ages 18-34, 174 mg/day for ages 35-49, 203 mg/day for ages 50-64, and 173 mg/day for ages 65-75 (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75, by age group). (Caffeine Consumption in Switzerland: Results…)
  • EFSA’s food-consumption surveys found coffee contributed 40%-94% of total caffeine intake among adults in most surveyed countries; tea was the main source in Ireland at 59% and the United Kingdom at 57% (EFSA Food Consumption Database surveys; published 2015; European countries; adults). (Caffeine)
  • EFSA’s approximate caffeine amounts were 80 mg in a 60 ml espresso, 90 mg in a 200 ml filter coffee, 50 mg in a 220 ml black tea, 40 mg in a 355 ml cola, and 80 mg in a 250 ml energy drink (EFSA guidance published 2015; General food-and-beverage examples; serving sizes specified by EFSA). (Caffeine)

Source contributions are population means from 24-hour dietary recalls.

The estimate is for population intake, not only energy-drink consumers.

Food-source shares depend on the survey’s caffeine assignments and local product mix.

Sex-specific source estimates are observational and do not establish why the groups differed.

Age-group values are from one national cross-sectional survey and should not be treated as longitudinal aging effects.

Country estimates use the underlying national surveys and are not directly comparable without considering differing methods and food classifications.

EFSA states these are approximate; caffeine concentration and portion size vary within and between countries.

Who consumes caffeine and how patterns differ

  • In the U.S. NHANES 2011-2012 data, the combined population mean caffeine intake was 135 mg/day, while the age-specific extremes were 15 mg/day for ages 4-8 and 213 mg/day for ages 51-70 (United States; age 4 years and older). (Sources of Caffeine in Diets…)
  • In Switzerland, mean caffeine intake was 228 mg/day among adults aged 50-64, compared with 202 mg/day in the German-speaking region, 170 mg/day in the French-speaking region, and 133 mg/day in the Italian-speaking region among adults aged 18-64 (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; specified age and linguistic-region groups). (Caffeine Consumption in Switzerland: Results…)
  • The Swiss survey found mean caffeine intake of 228 mg/day among smokers, 197 mg/day among ex-smokers, and 171 mg/day among never-smokers (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75 by smoking status). (Caffeine Consumption in Switzerland: Results…)
  • In the Swiss survey, 6.6% of adults consumed more than 400 mg/day of caffeine and 5.6% exceeded 5.7 mg/kg body weight/day (January 2014-February 2015; Switzerland; adults aged 18-75). (Caffeine Consumption in Switzerland: Results…)

The age comparison is descriptive and uses population means from dietary recalls.

Age and region figures describe different subgroup definitions and should not be interpreted as causal effects of language region.

Smoking-status comparisons are observational and may reflect confounding by age, behavior, or other factors.

The thresholds are reference cutoffs; exceeding them does not itself measure harm, and the result is survey-specific.

How caffeine consumption has changed

  • Mean caffeine intake among U.S. children and adults combined declined from 175 mg/day in NHANES 1999-2000 to 142 mg/day in NHANES 2011-2012 (1999-2000 to 2011-2012; United States; children and adults combined). (Sources of Caffeine in Diets…)
  • The U.S. decline from 175 to 142 mg/day between NHANES 1999-2000 and 2011-2012 was largely associated with soda caffeine falling from 41 to 21 mg/day (1999-2000 to 2011-2012; United States; children and adults combined). (Sources of Caffeine in Diets…)

The comparison spans repeated cross-sectional survey cycles, not the same people followed over time.

The study reports an association in population trend data; it does not establish a causal explanation for the change.

Measured safety thresholds and limitations

  • EFSA concluded that a single caffeine dose up to 200 mg, or about 3 mg/kg body weight, does not raise safety concerns for the general healthy adult population (EFSA scientific opinion published 2015; General healthy adults). (Caffeine)
  • EFSA concluded that caffeine intake up to 400 mg/day, about 5.7 mg/kg/day, consumed throughout the day does not raise safety concerns for healthy adults, except pregnant women (EFSA scientific opinion published 2015; General healthy adults). (Caffeine)
  • EFSA reported that a single 100 mg caffeine dose may affect sleep duration and sleep patterns in some adults, especially when consumed close to bedtime (EFSA scientific opinion published 2015). (Caffeine)
  • EFSA concluded that caffeine intakes up to 200 mg/day from all sources do not raise safety concerns for the fetus when consumed throughout the day by pregnant women (EFSA scientific opinion published 2015; Pregnant women and fetus). (Caffeine)
  • EFSA proposed 3 mg/kg body weight as a safety level for habitual caffeine consumption by children and adolescents (EFSA scientific opinion published 2015). (Caffeine)
  • The FDA states that 400 mg of caffeine per day is an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults, roughly equivalent to two to three 12-fluid-ounce cups of coffee (FDA consumer guidance accessed 2026-10-04; guidance cites 2017 systematic review; Most adults in the United States). (Spilling the Beans: How Much…)

The conclusion excludes people with disease or medical conditions and is a risk-assessment conclusion, not a guarantee for every individual.

EFSA specifies an exception for pregnancy and does not assess all diseases, medicines, or drugs of abuse.

The statement concerns possible sleep effects in some adults and does not quantify the proportion affected.

This is a population risk-assessment threshold; individual clinical advice may differ.

The value is an EFSA risk-assessment proposal, not an observed population average.

FDA notes that sensitivity varies with body weight, medications, medical conditions, and individual response.

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