The report found virtually no difference in consumption between men and women.
They're tasty, energy dense and flavorful. But they also tend to have plenty of chemicals, sweeteners, salt and not-so-good-for-you fats. What they lack is fiber and, for the most part, whole foods.
Despite health concerns and a relative lack of nutritional value, ultra-processed foods make up a hefty chunk of the average U.S. diet, accounting for 55% of calories consumed by those a year old or older from August 2021 to August 2023, according to a new federal report that quantifies U.S. ultra-processed food consumption.
Sandwiches -- including burgers -- sweet baked goods, savory snacks and sugary beverages were four of the top five sources of calories from ultra-processed foods, according to a just-released National Center for Health Statistics brief. For youths, the other ultra-processed caloric contributor was pizza, while for adults bread, rolls and tortillas made the list.
The report noted that most dietary advice, including the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, suggests eating a variety of whole foods and limiting food with added sugars.
The group that averaged the most calories from ultra-processed foods were those ages 1 to 18, who got just under 62% of their calories that way, while 53% of calories for those 19 and older came from ultra-processed foods. Among adults, the group that consumed the lowest amount were those in the highest family income group, per the report.
But the average number of calories from ultra-processed foods actually decreased when two time periods were compared: a survey wave in 2013 to 2014 vs. one that spanned August 2021 to August 2023.
The report found virtually no difference in consumption between males and females, whether youths or adults.
According to the data, children ages 1 to 5 consumed fewer calories from ultra-processed foods (56.1%) than did those ages 6 to 11 (64.8%) and those 12 to 18 (63%). Among adults, the share of calories from ultra-processed food decreased as people got older, but that still included more than half of calories across the age groups. Adults 60 and older averaged 51.7% of their calories from ultra-processed foods.
Income makes some difference in what people eat, per the report.
Among youths, there was no difference in the average share of calories that came from ultra-processed foods based on income. For adults, it was a slightly different story. The families with the highest incomes -- 350% or more of the federal poverty level -- got barely over half of their calories from ultra-processed foods. That's compared with those who made 130% of poverty or less, who averaged 54.7% of calories from ultra-processed foods. Those with incomes in the middle got just over 55% of their calories that way.
Calorie consumption was based on a combination of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) wave from August 2021 to August 2023. The National Cancer Institute also supplied data that classified food into categories based on how much they are processed, from unprocessed whole foods to ultra-processed foods.
A paper in the journal Public Health Nutrition that was written specifically to help people identify ultra-processed foods notes that most foods are "processed" to some extent if only by preservation. The question is how much processing occurs.
Minimally processed foods and unprocessed foods are closest to their whole-food state, though inedible or unwanted parts like stems or seeds may be removed and they could be cooked or frozen, ground or packaged, for example, without changing that status. "None of these processes add salt, sugar, oils or fats or other food substances to the original food." Mostly it's done to allow longer storage or simplify later preparation.
Quite a bit can be done to those "group one" foods before they'd be considered ultra-processed.
Ultra-processed foods, per that paper, are "formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, that result from a series of industrial processes." They can have a variety of chemicals added, including colors or emulsifiers and other things "with little if any whole food" to make them prettier or more palatable.
The explanation continues, "Ultra-processed foods include carbonated soft drinks; sweet or savory packaged snacks; chocolate, candies (confectionery); ice cream; mass-produced packaged breads and buns; margarines and other spreads; cookies (biscuits), pastries, cakes and cake mixes; breakfast 'cereals'; pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes; poultry and fish 'nuggets' and 'sticks', sausages, burgers, hot dogs and other reconstituted meat products; powdered and packaged 'instant' soups, noodles and desserts; and many other products."
In an article published by the American Medical Association titled "What doctors wish patients knew about ultra-processed foods," Sara Berg, the news editor, outlines doctors' concerns. Among them are increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dementia.
A study published in the British medical journal BMJ in May listed 32 health issues linked to diets that contain a lot of ultra-processed foods. The international team said they span "mortality, cancer and mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and metabolic health outcomes," as Deseret News reported.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Health and Human Services secretary, has called ultra-processed foods "poison" and promised to combat them, including through recent removal of certain food dyes that serve no nutritional purpose.
As part of his "Make America Healthy Again" campaign, a report his department released recommended putting whole foods "at the center of health care" to reduce the burden of chronic diseases.
Berg in her article outlined some advice for making good food choices at the selection stage, including: