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A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis finds that Americans obtain more than half their daily calories from highly processed packaged foods ? a pattern linked to higher risk of heart disease and premature death. The report, covering August 2021 through August 2023, highlights which items contribute the most to those calories and adds momentum to federal efforts to define and possibly regulate so-called ultra-processed foods.
The CDC found that, on average, people aged 1 and older derived about 55% of their calories from ultra-processed products during the two-year period. Consumption was highest among young people: children and teenagers took in roughly 62% of their calories from these sources, while adults averaged about 53%.
What the CDC classifies as ultra-processed
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The agency describes these items as typically engineered to be highly palatable and energy-dense, often containing little or no whole foods and low in fiber, while being high in salt, added sweeteners and unhealthy fats. The CDC also notes epidemiological links between such diets and increased rates of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.
Public health officials and policymakers are watching closely. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Agriculture Department have asked the public for input as they work toward a clearer, uniform definition of ultra-processed foods in the American food supply.
Top sources of ultra-processed calories
The CDC breaks down the major contributors to ultra-processed caloric intake for youth and adults. The figures below show each category?s share of total daily calories.
| Population | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth (ages 1?17) | Sandwiches & burgers ? 7.6% | Sweet bakery items ? 6.3% | Savory snacks ? 4.9% | Pizza ? 4.7% | Sweetened beverages ? 3.9% |
| Adults (18+) | Sandwiches & burgers ? 8.6% | Sweet bakery items ? 5.2% | Sweetened beverages ? 4.4% | Savory snacks ? 3.4% | Breads, rolls & tortillas ? 3.1% |
Who is most affected?
The report shows variation by age and income. Young children and people 60 and older consumed smaller shares of ultra-processed calories than teenagers and younger adults. Adults with lower incomes relied more heavily on ultra-processed foods than higher-income adults, a pattern public-health experts say reflects affordability, access and time pressures.
There are signs of a gradual decline compared with earlier years: adults? share fell modestly from about 56% in 2013?2014, and children?s levels were lower than a peak near 66% recorded in 2017?2018. Still, the majority of daily calories for most Americans come from processed products.
Why this matters now
- Health consequences: Diets dominated by ultra-processed items are associated with higher risk of chronic disease, particularly heart conditions, according to the CDC.
- Policy implications: A standardized federal definition could change labeling, guidance and regulation ? with consequences for manufacturers and retailers.
- Disparities: Lower-income groups and younger people are more exposed, pointing to inequities in food environments and affordability.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly warned about the harm from these foods, saying earlier this year that the nation is effectively ?poisoning ourselves? through widespread consumption of ultra-processed products.
The CDC report provides the most recent, nationally representative snapshot of where Americans? calories come from and feeds into an ongoing federal conversation about how to define and address ultra-processed foods in the U.S. food system.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (report covering August 2021?August 2023). The Associated Press contributed reporting to the original coverage.
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