NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Several states in the Southeast — including Kentucky and Tennessee — made the top 10 in a list of states likely to eat the most sweets this Halloween.
A new study, conducted by Celebrate Dental & Braces , determined which states are consuming the most added sugar per day. According to a press release, the orthodontists did this by gathering data from the National Library of Medicine on the mean dietary added sugars intake for each state in 2010 and 2015, and then ranking the states from most to least added teaspoons of sugar.
The press release about the study outlined the 10 states where residents are “most likely to rot their teeth” by overindulging in candy at the end of October:
1. Kentucky (21.2 teaspoons per day)
In addition to its high sugar consumption, Kentucky struggles with poor dental health. Based on a 2020 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 22.4% of Kentucky’s adults ages 65 and older have lost all of their natural teeth, which is the highest rate in the country. However, the Bluegrass State is on par with the national average when it comes to children’s oral health, with 14.2% of kids reporting dental problems.