Gourmet coffee beverage consumption among college women.

Gourmet coffee beverages (GCBs) are relatively new products in the foodservice industry that consist of high-energy coffee drinks. A descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of consumption of GCBs and their energy and fat contribution to overall dietary intake in college women using a beverage questionnaire and a 3-day food diary. A convenience sample of 165 undergraduate and graduate women attending Simmons College completed a beverage questionnaire, and a subsample of 41 women completed a 3-day food diary. Mean reported GCB consumption was 2.5 times/week for the entire sample and 7 times/week for the food diary subsample. A comparison of GCB consumers and nonconsumers indicated that GCB drinkers had a 206 kcal/day higher intake (P=.250) and a 32 g higher sugar intake than nonconsumers (P<.05). A significant percentage of college women consume GCBs, which contributes additional energy and fat to dietary intake. Over time, this could potentially affect weight status.