Cheese Consumption by U.S. Adults, What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 - 2018

Authors: Sebastian, Rhonda; Goldman, Joseph; Moshfegh, Alanna

Submitted to: Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group
Publication Type: Research Technical Update
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/6/2024
Publication Date: 5/13/2024
Citation: Sebastian, R.S., Goldman, J.D., Moshfegh, A.J. 2024. Cheese Consumption by U.S. Adults, What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017 - 2018. Worldwide Web Site: Food Surveys Research Group. Available: https://www.ars.usda.gov/nea/bhnrc/fsrg/wweia/dbrief.

Interpretive Summary: Cheese is a highly consumed food that is a rich source of energy and many nutrients. However, dietary intake of cheese on a weight basis (grams) has never been reported. In this data brief, we provide an overview of cheese consumption by the U.S. adult population. Using data from What We Eat in America (WWEIA), the dietary interview component of NHANES 2017- 2018, we examined cheese. We identified who consumes it, how it is consumed (i.e., alone, or as an ingredient and in what foods), how nutrient intakes of cheese consumers compare to non-consumers, and its contributions to dietary intakes. We found that 68% of adults aged 20 years and older consume cheese on any given day. The likelihood of eating cheese does not vary by gender, but there is an inverse relationship in cheese consumption by age. Cheese consumption is lower among non-Hispanic Asian adults relative to adults in all other race/ethnic groups. Mixed dishes (e.g., pizza, sandwiches, tacos) account for 70% of cheese intake by weight. More than half of all adults consume a mixed dish containing cheese on the intake day. Adults who eat cheese have higher intakes of total fat, saturated fat, and calcium but lower intakes of carbohydrate and dietary fiber than non-consumers on a 1,000-kilocalorie basis. Among consumers, cheese contributes the following percentages of daily intake: 7% of energy, 12% of protein, 13% of total fat, 23% of saturated fat, and 33% of calcium. This novel information about cheese consumption can inform policymakers, food manufacturers, dietitians, nutritionists, and consumers about its considerable role in the diets of U.S. adults.

Technical Abstract: Cheese accounts for approximately half of per capita availability of dairy in the U.S. To date, intake of cheese has been described in “cup equivalents,” a term that makes sense for other dairy products such as milk and yogurt but less so for cheese. The purpose of this report is to characterize cheese consumption and report its intake in grams among U.S. adults. One day of dietary intake data from 4,742 individuals aged 20 years and over in the nationally representative survey What We Eat in America, NHANES 2017- 2018, was analyzed. Two-tailed t-tests were used to compare percentages of adults, all and by gender, consuming cheese by age group, race/ethnicity, and family income, and to compare nutrient intakes, on a 1,000-kilocalorie basis by cheese consumption status. Regression analyses identified trends in cheese consumption by age. On any given day, 68% of American adults eat cheese. Prevalence of consumption does not differ by gender (p>0.001). However, an inverse linear trend by age was observed among all adults and among males. Non-Hispanic Asian adults, all and by gender, are less likely to consume cheese relative to individuals in other race/ethnic groups. Cheese consumption does not differ by family income. Mixed dishes such as pizza, sandwiches, and tacos account for 70% of cheese intake by weight. Fifty-four percent of adults consume a cheese-containing mixed dish on any given day, and the mean intake of cheese per report of a mixed dish is 32 g. On an energy density basis, cheese consumers have higher intake of total fat, saturated fat, and calcium and lower intake of carbohydrate and dietary fiber per 1,000 kilocalories relative to non-consumers. Cheese contributes 7% of daily energy intake among consumers, 10-13% of protein, total fat, cholesterol, vitamins B12 and D, and sodium, 17% of vitamin A, 23% of saturated fat, and 33% of calcium. The majority of U.S. adults consume cheese. Modifying choices of this nutritionally relevant food to include lower fat options could lead to meaningful improvements in dietary intake.