Americans eating (slightly) less ultra-processed food
Americans on average get 55 per cent of their total calories from ultra-processed foods, data showed on Aug 7.
WASHINGTON - Americans still get most of their calories from ultra-processed foods, but consumption is trending down among both adults and children, official data showed on Aug 7.
The survey results from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) come as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr promotes diet reform, and suggest that awareness of the risks around burgers and sodas may already have been taking hold before he came to office.
Between August 2021 and August 2023, the mean percentage of total calories consumed from ultra-processed foods (UPFs) among those aged one year and older was 55 per cent.
That still places the United States at or near the top of the table globally, alongside countries like the United Kingdom and Canada.
Among Western nations, Italy consistently records lower UPF consumption – less than 20 per cent, according to a paper in 2024 in Public Health Nutrition that credited the Mediterranean diet.
Breaking down the new US results by age, the percentage of energy consumed from UPFs was 61.9 per cent for youths aged one to 18, and 53 per cent for adults – a decline from 65.6 per cent and 56 per cent respectively during the last survey period, 2017–18.
First Lady Michelle Obama spearheaded a campaign in the 2010s to encourage healthier eating and more exercise, while a landmark 2019 study in Cell Metabolism found people ate more calories when exposed to ultra-processed foods.
Ultra-processed foods tend to be 'hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fibre, and contain little or no whole foods, while having high amounts of salt, sweeteners, and unhealthy fat,' according to the CDC.
They have been linked with ill health effects including higher risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.
Sandwiches, including burgers, topped the list of UPFs for both US youth and adults, followed by sweet bakery products such as donuts. Sweetened beverages were high up on both lists.
Since taking office, Mr Kennedy has launched a pressure campaign on industry to remove synthetic food dyes, which appears to be paying dividends, with cereal maker Kellogg's one of the latest brands to sign on.
A dozen states, meanwhile, have moved to restrict access of people with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme benefits – known colloquially as food stamps – to junk food at grocery stores. AFP
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Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Straits Times
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Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Straits Times
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Members of the public can report vaping offences to the Tobacco Regulation Branch by calling 6684-2036 or 6684-2037 from 9am to 9pm daily, or online at Under current laws, possessing, using or buying vapes carries a maximum fine of $2,000. Anyone who distributes, imports or sells vapes and their components can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000. Those found in possession of or using pods containing etomidate can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $10,000. If you need help to quit vaping, you can join the Health Promotion Board's I Quit programme by calling the QuitLine on 1800-438-2000.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
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