Fast Food’s Grip On American Diets Weakens As Younger Adults Cut Back

Sep 11 2025

New national information uncover that U.S. adults are eating little accelerated nutrient than a decade ago, arsenic shifting habits among younger adults thrust down its stock of regular calories.

Report: Fast Food Intake Among Adults successful nan United States, August 2021–August 2023. Image Credit: nazarovsergey / Shutterstock

A caller study from nan National Center for Health Statistics utilized NHANES information to estimate nan stock of regular calories from accelerated nutrient among American adults.

One-third of adults ate accelerated nutrient connected a fixed day. About 11.7% of regular calories came from accelerated food. Intake has decreased since nan 2013–14 period.

Background

Fast nutrient is simply a important constituent of nan diets of galore U.S. adults. It is precocious successful calories, sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium, which summation wellness risks.

Previous investigation has shown that fast-food depletion patterns alteration crossed demographic and socioeconomic groups, pinch younger adults, men, and individuals of little income aliases acquisition levels often consuming more. Monitoring these patterns is important for knowing diet-related wellness outcomes and informing nationalist wellness strategies.

NHANES collects nationally typical information connected fare and health, providing penetration into trends complete time. It combines family interviews pinch standardized wellness exams astatine mobile centers and 2 24-hour dietary recalls.

Prior studies utilizing NHANES information recovered that fast-food depletion has been a persistent portion of American eating habits, though patterns displacement pinch age, education, and weight status.

About nan study

This study builds connected earlier findings by examining nan astir caller NHANES information from 2021–2023, pinch a attraction connected nan first dietary recall.

Although 24-hour recalls are known to impact underreporting, they stay a useful method for assessing organization dietary patterns. The percent of fast-food intake successful full calories helps trim reporting bias.

Researchers aimed to find nan number of adults who devour accelerated nutrient connected a fixed day, nan percent of their full calorie intake it represents, and whether differences beryllium by age, sex, education, and weight.

Additionally, nan study compared existent depletion levels pinch past study cycles (2013–14, 2015–16, and 2017–20) to measure semipermanent trends. Due to nan coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, information postulation was paused successful 2020 and later resumed successful 2021, pinch immoderate methodological changes, including dietary interviews conducted by telephone alternatively of successful person.

Statistical analyses incorporated sample weights to set for action probability, nonresponse, and question and reply timing. Variance was estimated utilizing nan Taylor bid linearization method, subgroup comparisons were tested pinch Student’s t-statistics, and linear regression models were utilized to measure trends crossed cycles.

Key findings

During August 2021 to August 2023, 32% of U.S. adults aged 20 and older consumed accelerated nutrient connected a fixed day.

Of each adults, 11.4% consumed much than 0% but little than 25% of their regular calories from accelerated food, 12.0% sewage 25–50%, and 8.6% sewage much than half of their calories from it. On average, accelerated nutrient contributed 11.7% of adults’ regular caloric intake.

Consumption decreased pinch age: adults aged 20–39 obtained 15.2% of calories from accelerated food, compared to 11.9% among those aged 40–59, and 7.6% among those 60 and older.

There were nary important differences betwixt men and women. Education was linked to intake; those pinch immoderate assemblage acquisition consumed a higher percent of calories from accelerated nutrient (13.4%) than some precocious schoolhouse graduates (11.2%) and those pinch a bachelor’s grade aliases higher (10.8%). However, this quality was not observed among adults aged 40–59, for whom nary important education-related differences were found.

Weight position besides mattered: adults pinch obesity consumed nan highest stock of calories from accelerated nutrient (13.7%), compared pinch 10.8% successful overweight adults and 9.8% successful those pinch normal weight. Among 20–39-year-olds specifically, overweight adults consumed importantly little than those pinch obesity.

Over time, fast-food intake declined. Overall, nan percent of regular calories from fat dropped from 14.1% successful 2013–2014 to 11.7% successful 2021–2023, a diminution chiefly driven by younger adults (from 19.0% to 15.2%), while nary important changes were observed for older adults.

Conclusions

Between August 2021 and August 2023, astir one-third of U.S. adults aged 20 and older consumed accelerated nutrient connected a fixed day. On average, accelerated nutrient accounted for 11.7% of regular calories, showing a diminution from 14.1% successful 2013–14 and approaching nan 11.3% level antecedently reported successful 2007–2010.

Patterns of depletion varied: younger adults obtained a higher stock of their calories from accelerated food, while intake declined pinch age. Adults pinch obesity consumed nan top proportion, compared to those pinch normal aliases overweight status.

Education besides played a role, arsenic those pinch immoderate assemblage acquisition consumed much fast-food calories than either precocious schoolhouse graduates aliases assemblage grade holders, isolated from among individuals aged 40–59 years, wherever nary important differences were observed. No important differences were observed betwixt men and women.

Fast-food depletion remains a interest because it contributes to higher intake of calories, fat, sodium, and sugar, while reducing nan intake of beneficial nutrients specified arsenic fiber, calcium, and full grains.