55 Percent of Calories Come From Ultraprocessed Foods in the United States

THURSDAY, Aug. 7, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The mean percentage of total calories consumed from ultraprocessed foods was 55.0 percent among those aged 1 year and older during August 2021 to August 2023, according to an August data brief published by the National Center for Health Statistics.

Anne M. Williams, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, and colleagues used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to describe ultraprocessed food intake during August 2021 to August 2023.

The researchers found that among those aged 1 year and older, the mean percentage of total calories consumed from ultraprocessed foods was 55.0 percent during August 2021 to August 2023. Compared with adults aged 19 years and older, youth aged 1 to 18 years consumed a higher percentage of calories from ultraprocessed foods (61.9 versus 53.0 percent). The mean percentage of total calories consumed from ultraprocessed foods was lowest in the highest family income group among adults. Among youth and adults, sandwiches, sweet bakery products, savory snacks, and sweetened beverages were four of the top five sources of calories from ultraprocessed foods. The consumption of mean calories from ultraprocessed foods decreased among adults between 2013-2014 and August 2021-August 2023.

“Although youth and adults consumed the majority of their calories from ultraprocessed foods in the past decade, a decrease was seen in ultraprocessed food consumption among youth and adults between 2017-2018 and August 2021-August 2023, and a decrease was seen among adults from 2013-2014 to August 2021-August 2023,” the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text