Ultra-processed food consumption is down a bit, but still more than 50% of U.S. diet

Ultra-processed food consumption is down a bit, but still more than 50% of U.S. diet

Yuki Noguchi

August 07, 2025 / 6:42 am

The consumption of ultra-processed foods is on a slow decline, though most Americans — and especially children — are getting most of their calories from unhealthy, manufactured foods, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

The mean percentage of total calories consumed from ultra-processed foods (UFPs) eaten by everyone age 1 and older was 55%, during August 2021 and 2023, when the National Center for Health Statistics conducted its survey. The survey underscored a persistent difference by age; among those between the ages of 1 and 18, the mean consumption of UPFs was higher, 61.9% of calories. Those 19 and older consumed