US ultra-processed food consumption drops but remains large source of calories

Americans are eating fewer amounts of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), according to new Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data. However, they remain a large source of calories across youths and adults.

The mean percentage of total calories from UPFs among people over one year old was 55% (August 2021 to Aug 2023). In the same period, this was 61.9% for youths and 53% for adults. The percentage was lowest in adults from the highest family income group.

The main sources of calories include sandwiches or burgers, sweet bakery products, savory snacks, and sweetened beverages.

CDC notes that although UPFs are the main source of calories over the past decade, there is also a downward trend.

Data shows a significant decrease in youth and adult UPF consumption between 2017–2018 and August 2021–August 2023. A further decrease was seen in adults from 2013–2014 to August 2021–August 2023.

According to the CDC, UPFs are “hyperpalatable, energy-dense, low in dietary fiber” and contain minimal or no whole foods. They also contain high levels of salt, sweeteners, and unhealthy fats. 

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, advises consuming various whole foods and limiting foods with added sugars.

Varying factors: Age, income, and foods

In children, infants aged one to five consumed the least amount of calories from UPFs (56.1%), while youths aged six to 11 (64.8%) and 12 to 18 (63%) consumed more. However, this trend slowed as adults aged, as shown by the CDC data.

Among adults, people aged 19–39 consumed the highest (54.4%) calories from UPFs, while adults 40–59 consumed 52.6% and adults 60 and older consumed 51.7%.

Income played a role among adults only. 

Those with incomes over 350% of the federal poverty line consumed 50.4% of their calories from UPFs (mean total). This is less than the 54.7% for those in lower income groups earning under 130%. Adults with incomes between 130% and 349% of the poverty line consumed 55.3% of their total calories from UPFs.

Youths’ top sources of calories from UPFs were sandwiches or burgers (7.6%), sweet bakery products (6.3%), savory snacks (4.9%), pizza (4.7%), and sweetened beverages (3.9%).

For adults, this was sandwiches or burgers (8.6%), sweet bakery products (5.2%), sweetened beverages (4.4%), savory snacks (3.4%), and breads, rolls, and tortillas (3.1%).

UPFs in headlines

Recent research found that people lost twice as much weight eating minimally processed foods compared to UPFs — even when foods were nutritionally matched. According to the authors, the results suggest that reducing processed food consumption could be an effective strategy for long-term weight management, although other experts question the study’s findings.

Last month, the US FDA and the Department of Agriculture launched a call to establish a single definition of UPFs to provide consumers better transparency about the foods they eat. 

Recent surveys underscored that consumers struggle to identify UPFs or to accurately determine which ones are linked to health risks, such as type 2 diabetes.