Adults and children in the United States are getting more than 50% of their total calories from ultra-processed foods, according to a new federal report.
Among Americans aged 1 and older, an average of 55% of their total calories came from ultra-processed foods, according to results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between August 2021 and August 2023 and run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Children aged 18 and younger consumed a higher percentage of calories from ultra-processed foods at 61.9% compared to 53% for adults aged 19 and older.
"That's excessive," Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, who was not involved in the study, told ABC News. "That's concerning. It's way too much. We don't have guidel