Location: Food Surveys Research Group
Title: Snack Consumption by U.S. Adults: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 - March 2020Author
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Submitted to: Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group
Publication Type: Research Technical Update Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2024 Publication Date: 4/30/2024 Citation: Sebastian, R.S., Hoy, M.K., Goldman, J.D., Moshfegh, A.J. 2024. Snack Consumption by U.S. Adults: What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 - March 2020. Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group. Available: https://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg/wweia/dbrief. Interpretive Summary: Snacking is common among U.S. adults, and thus can have a notable impact on intake of food and nutrients. We used data from What We Eat in America (WWEIA), the dietary interview component of NHANES 2017 - March 2020, to examine snacking. We found that 95% of adults aged 20 years and older consume one or more snacks on any given day. Snacking does not vary by gender or age but is higher among non-Hispanic (NH) White adults as compared to NH Black and Hispanic adults. The percentage of adults in the highest family income category who report snacks is higher than the percentage in the lowest income category. About one in ten obtain over half of their total daily energy intake from snacks. On the intake day, snack consumers have higher intakes of energy and many nutrients than non-consumers. For consumers, snacks provide 24% of daily energy intake and comparable amounts of most nutrients studied. However, snacks account for a larger percentage of alcohol, added sugars, and caffeine intake. Sweet and savory items (e.g., chips, cookies, candy) and fruit are common snack food choices. Water is the most common beverage consumed at snacks. This latest information about snack consumption can inform food manufacturers, restaurants, dietitians, nutritionists, and consumers about the key role of snacks in the diets of U.S. adults. Technical Abstract: From 1977 to the present, snacking has increased in the U.S. across all age, race/ethnicity, and income groups. Currently, consuming multiple snacks is the norm among U.S. adults, with 78% consuming two or more on any given day. Because of its high prevalence, snacking can have a substantial impact on dietary intake. The objective of this report is to provide up to date summary statistics about snack consumption by the U.S. adult population. One day of dietary intake data from 7,707 adults aged 20 years and over in What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 - March 2020, the most recent nationwide dietary intake data available, was analyzed. Snacks were self-defined by the respondent. Two-tailed t-tests were used to compare percentages of adults (all and by gender) consuming snacks by age, race/ethnicity, and family income, and to compare nutrient intakes by snack consumption status. On any given day, 95% of American adults consume one or more snacks. Prevalence does not differ by gender or age, but a higher percentage of non-Hispanic (NH) White adults consume a snack as compared to NH Black and Hispanic adults (p<0.001). Moreover, those in the lowest category of family income are less likely to consume a snack on the intake day than those in the highest family income category. Compared to individuals who do not consume a snack (non-consumers), snack consumers have higher intakes of energy, and all macronutrients except protein and alcohol. In addition, snack consumers have higher intakes of vitamin C and potassium. Snack occasions contribute 24% of adult consumers’ total daily intake of energy and comparable amounts of most nutrients except alcohol (57%), added sugars (43%), and caffeine (40%). The food items most consumed at snacks are sweet bakery products (e.g., cookies, cakes; 22% of consumers), savory items (e.g., tortilla chips; 21%), and fruit (21%). Water is reported at a snack occasion by 75% of consumers. Most U.S. adults consume one or more snacks on any given day. Modifying choices at these occasions could lead to meaningful improvements in dietary intake of food groups and nutrients. |
