Staggering new data reveals that over 70% of American adults are now considered overweight, a crisis fueled by our plates holding nearly 300 extra calories daily while our vegetable intake languishes at a fraction of what's recommended.
Key Takeaways
- In 2017-2018, the prevalence of obesity was 42.4% among U.S. adults aged 20 years and over
- Severe obesity affected 9.2% of U.S. adults in 2017-2018, up from 4.7% in 1999-2000
- Obesity prevalence among non-Hispanic Black adults was 49.6% in 2017-2018, the highest among racial/ethnic groups
- Average daily caloric intake for U.S. adults was 2,157 kcal in NHANES 2015-2016
- Men consumed 2,475 kcal/day on average in 2015-2018 NHANES
- Women averaged 1,877 kcal/day in 2015-2018 NHANES data
- Added sugars provided 17% of total calories for U.S. population in 2009-2010
- Average intake of added sugars was 17 teaspoons (71.4g) per day for adults
- Children aged 2-18 consumed 15% of calories from added sugars in NHANES 2009-2012
- Saturated fat provided 11% of total calories in 2015-2016 NHANES
- Average saturated fat intake was 30.2g/day for men
- U.S. adults consumed 11.2% calories from saturated fat, above 10% limit
- Adults consumed 1.0 cup equivalents of vegetables daily vs. 2.5 recommended in 2015-16
- Only 12.4% of U.S. adults met fruit intake recommendations in 2019
- Average vegetable intake 1.6 cups/day, 90% below 2-3 cups recommended
America's obesity crisis stems from widespread overeating and poor nutritional habits.
Added Sugars
- Added sugars provided 17% of total calories for U.S. population in 2009-2010
- Average intake of added sugars was 17 teaspoons (71.4g) per day for adults
- Children aged 2-18 consumed 15% of calories from added sugars in NHANES 2009-2012
- Soda and energy drinks contributed 36% of added sugar intake
- Per capita added sugar consumption peaked at 102g/day in 1999
- Americans consumed 152 pounds of caloric sweeteners per capita annually in 2016
- Added sugars from desserts and sweets were 39g/day average
- NHANES 2015-2016 showed 13% calories from added sugars, down from 17%
- Boys aged 12-19 consumed 173g added sugars weekly
- Table sugar intake averaged 22.2 pounds per person yearly in 2018
- High-fructose corn syrup consumption fell to 35 pounds per capita by 2020
- Beverages provided 47% of added sugars for youth under 19
- Average American ate 57 pounds of added sugars in 2018
- Candy consumption averaged 24 pounds per capita in 2019
- Sugary drinks accounted for 6% of total calories but 21% added sugars
- Added sugar intake exceeded WHO limit of 10% calories for 71% of population
- Per capita corn sweeteners were 42 lbs in 2000, down to 24 lbs by 2021
- Desserts contributed 25% of added sugars in diets
- Youth consumed 16.5% calories from sugars, over AHA 10% limit
- Average daily added sugar for men was 77g, women 65g in 2015-16
- SSBs intake was 145 kcal/day average
- Added sugars from grains/sweets/baking were 35% of total
- Per capita sugar use 152.9 lbs in 1999 peak
- Children 2-5 had 12% calories from added sugars
- Sports drinks added 2.4 tsp sugar daily for consumers
- Total caloric sweetener disappearance 130 lbs/person in 2022
Added Sugars Interpretation
We're basically mainlining sweetness, with over two-thirds of us exceeding healthy limits, as our collective sweet tooth has us drowning in everything from soda streams to hidden dessert calories.
Caloric Intake
- Average daily caloric intake for U.S. adults was 2,157 kcal in NHANES 2015-2016
- Men consumed 2,475 kcal/day on average in 2015-2018 NHANES
- Women averaged 1,877 kcal/day in 2015-2018 NHANES data
- Total energy intake increased 24% from 1971 to 2000, reaching 2,124 kcal/day for women
- U.S. adults exceeded recommendations by 200-300 kcal/day, contributing to weight gain
- Average intake was 2,481 kcal/day for men aged 20-39 in 2013-2016
- Children aged 2-19 consumed 1,976-2,488 kcal/day by age group in 2015-2016
- Caloric intake from beverages was 22% of total energy for adults
- Daily energy intake rose from 1,996 kcal in 1971 to 2,266 kcal in 2008 for men
- Post-WWII, per capita calories increased 20% to over 3,900 kcal/day available
- NHANES 2003-2004 showed 2,139 kcal/day average, up from prior decades
- Fast food contributed 36.6% of daily calories on consumption days
- Average American consumes 3,600 kcal/day available supply in 2019
- Intake for pregnant women averaged 2,361 kcal/day in NHANES
- Elderly men over 60 averaged 2,091 kcal/day in 2015-2016
- Caloric density of U.S. diet increased to 1.49 kcal/g from 1971-2008
- Youth aged 9-18 consumed up to 2,600 kcal/day, exceeding needs
- Restaurant food provided 34% of calories in 2006
- Per capita caloric availability was 3,682 kcal/day in 2016 USDA data
- Added calories from sugars increased intake by 152 kcal/day since 1980s
- Men in lowest income quartile consumed 2,330 kcal/day vs. 2,530 highest
- Snacking contributed 24% of daily calories in 2010, up from 18% in 1977
- Average daily intake for Black adults was 2,192 kcal in NHANES 2011-2016
- Hispanic adults averaged 2,150 kcal/day
- Post-2008 recession, caloric intake stabilized at ~2,150 kcal/day for adults
Caloric Intake Interpretation
While America's pantry has swelled to over 3,900 available calories per person daily, our actual dinner plates hold a more modest—yet still excessive—2,157 calories, revealing a nation where abundance fuels overconsumption in a quiet, steady creep.
Fruits Vegetables
- Adults consumed 1.0 cup equivalents of vegetables daily vs. 2.5 recommended in 2015-16
- Only 12.4% of U.S. adults met fruit intake recommendations in 2019
- Average vegetable intake 1.6 cups/day, 90% below 2-3 cups recommended
- Fruit intake averaged 1.1 cups/day vs. 1.5-2.0 recommended
- Potatoes comprised 50% of vegetable intake, mostly fried
- Dark green vegetable intake 0.17 cups/day vs. 1.5-2.2 weekly recommended
- Whole grains only 0.92 oz eq/day vs. 3 recommended
- 90% of Americans eat insufficient fruits/veggies
- Women consumed 1.64 cups veggies/day, men 1.37
- Tomato-based veggies 32% of total vegetable intake
- Only 8.9% met veggie guidelines
- Apple the most consumed fruit at 0.28 cups/day
- Orange intake 0.15 cups/day
- Red/orange veggies 0.45 cups/day vs. 4-5.5 weekly cups
- Beans/peas 0.08 cups/day
- Fruit juice 0.36 cups/day but counts half toward goals
- Starchy veggies 0.56 cups/day, mostly potatoes
- Berries 0.09 cups/day
- Other veggies 0.43 cups/day
- Banana intake 0.25 cups/day
- Low-income adults had lower fruit/veggie intake
- 1 in 10 adults ate no fruits day prior in NHANES
- Veggie intake increased slightly to 1.7 cups/day 2001-2010
Fruits Vegetables Interpretation
Our national diet appears to be a tragic culinary play where the leading role of "vegetable" is forever typecast by a fried potato understudy, while the fruit ensemble is a one-apple show playing to a half-empty house.
Obesity Prevalence
- In 2017-2018, the prevalence of obesity was 42.4% among U.S. adults aged 20 years and over
- Severe obesity affected 9.2% of U.S. adults in 2017-2018, up from 4.7% in 1999-2000
- Obesity prevalence among non-Hispanic Black adults was 49.6% in 2017-2018, the highest among racial/ethnic groups
- Among U.S. youth aged 2-19 years, obesity prevalence was 19.3% in 2017-2018
- Overweight prevalence (including obesity) was 71.6% among U.S. adults in 2017-2018
- Obesity rates in U.S. adults aged 40-59 years reached 44.3% in 2017-2018
- In 2020, adult obesity prevalence exceeded 40% in 12 states
- Mississippi had the highest adult obesity rate at 39.5% in 2020
- Colorado had the lowest adult obesity rate at 25.1% in 2020
- Obesity among U.S. women was 41.9% in 2017-2018, compared to 43.0% for men
- Childhood obesity tripled from 5.5% in 1980 to 18.5% in 2016 among youth aged 2-19
- Severe obesity in adolescents aged 12-19 was 6.1% in 2017-2018
- Obesity prevalence increased from 30.5% in 1999-2000 to 41.9% in 2017-2018 among women
- In 2021-2023 BRFSS data, 37 states had adult obesity rates over 35%
- West Virginia's adult obesity rate was 41.0% in 2023
- District of Columbia had the lowest at 27.9% in 2023
- Obesity among low-income adults was 36.3% vs. 31.3% high-income in 2017-2018
- Mexican American adults had 45.6% obesity prevalence in 2017-2018
- 13.9% of U.S. children aged 2-5 years were obese in 2017-2018
- Obesity in high school students was 14.8% in 2021 YRBS data
- Adult obesity rose to 42% nationally by 2020
- During COVID-19, obesity increased by 2.7 percentage points among adults 18-24
- 78.7 million U.S. adults were obese in 2014 estimates
- Obesity-related medical costs reached $173 billion annually in 2019
- 14 states had obesity rates over 35% in 2018
- Arkansas adult obesity was 35.7% in 2018
- Obesity in U.S. men aged 20-39 was 40.0% in 2017-2018
- Among adults with college degrees, obesity was 31.2% vs. 40.5% no high school diploma
- Youth obesity in rural areas was 20.6% vs. 15.5% urban in recent data
- 4.4 million U.S. adolescents were severely obese in 2016
Obesity Prevalence Interpretation
These statistics reveal a nation where the average dinner plate has grown faster than our collective willpower, making "overweight" the new normal and turning a health crisis into a morbidly obese national identity.
Saturated Fats
- Saturated fat provided 11% of total calories in 2015-2016 NHANES
- Average saturated fat intake was 30.2g/day for men
- U.S. adults consumed 11.2% calories from saturated fat, above 10% limit
- Cheese was top source of saturated fat at 15.3% of intake
- Saturated fat from meat/poultry/fish was 29.2% of total
- Per capita saturated fat availability 75g/day in 2010
- NHANES 2009-2010: 11.3% calories from sat fat
- Butter and animal fats contributed 9.4% sat fat
- Decline in sat fat from 13% in 1970s to 11% now
- Pizza provided 8.3% of saturated fat intake
- Elderly consumed 25.8g sat fat/day
- Children 2-19 averaged 28g sat fat/day
- Grain products contributed 17.6% sat fat despite low fat content
- Sat fat intake 76g/person/day available in 2000
- 76% of adults exceeded 10% calorie sat fat limit
- Red meat source of 24% sat fat
- Milk and milk products 15.5% sat fat
- Cookies/brownies 6.1% sat fat intake
- Sat fat from snacks 11.3%
- Per capita disappearance 64 lbs sat fat/year
- Burgers provided 4.7% sat fat
- Women averaged 21.6g sat fat/day
- Decline 18% in sat fat consumption 1970-2014
- Dairy desserts 3.9% sat fat source
- Only 5% met sat fat guidelines under 7% calories
- Chicken/nuggets 4.2% sat fat
- Total fat 33.5% calories, sat 11% in 2011-12
- Only 12% of adults meet sat fat <10% calories
Saturated Fats Interpretation
The data suggests we are collectively wedded to a love of cheese and burgers with a stubbornness that defies both our arteries and dietary guidelines, as evidenced by the fact that only 12% of adults manage to keep their saturated fat intake under the recommended limit.
Sources & References
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- Reference 9STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 10NCA-CANDYnca-candy.orgVisit source
- Reference 11BMJbmj.comVisit source
- Reference 12AHAJOURNALSahajournals.orgVisit source