Diet Quality and Food Consumption: Food Consumption and Nutrient Intake Tables

Nutrient Intake

Table 8 shows the nutrient-to-calorie density for total fat, calcium, and iron during 1977-78 and for seven nutrients and/or food components during 1994-96. Americans have a long way to go before meeting the recommended intakes for fiber and calcium. Over the 1977-96 period, foods prepared at home had become richer in calcium but away from home had become less rich in calcium. During 1994-96, foods prepared away from home contained more total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium but less fiber, calcium, and iron than at-home foods. Therefore, the increasing popularity in eating out presents a challenge to improve American diets.

Table 8—Nutrient-to-calorie density of dietary components by food sources: Individuals ages 2 and older
Item		Total fat (grams)	Saturated fat (grams)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Fiber (grams)	Calcium (mg)	Iron (mg)
		Unit per 1,000 kcal
1977-78
All individuals ages 2 and older		45.7	.	.	.	.	396	6.0
At-home foods		45.7	.	.	.	.	402	6.2
Away-from-home foods 1/		45.8	.	.	.	.	368	5.3
	Fast food	46.2	.	.	.	.	304	5.3
	Schools 2/	44.5	.	.	.	.	643	5.0
	Restaurants	51.3	.	.	.	.	280	5.8
	Other public places	46.0	.	.	.	.	350	5.3
	Others	42.9	.	.	.	.	311	5.2
Children ages 2-17		43.8	.	.	.	.	485	5.8
At-home foods		43.8	.	.	.	.	479	6.0
Away-from-home foods 1/		43.9	.	.	.	.	507	5.1
	Fast food	43.2	.	.	.	.	310	5.1
	Schools 2/	44.5	.	.	.	.	643	5.0
	Restaurants	46.9	.	.	.	.	327	5.4
	Other public places	43.3	.	.	.	.	331	4.8
	Others	42.5	.	.	.	.	362	5.3
Adults ages 18 and older		46.5	.	.	.	.	358	6.1
At-home foods		46.5	.	.	.	.	370	6.2
Away-from-home foods 1/		46.6	.	.	.	.	303	5.4
	Fast food	47	.	.	.	.	302	5.4
	Restaurants	51.7	.	.	.	.	276	5.9
	Other public places	46.2	.	.	.	.	352	5.4
	Others	43	.	.	.	.	294	5.1
Male seniors ages 60 and older		46.8	.	.	.	.	359	6.6
At-home foods		46.4	.	.	.	.	370	6.7
Away-from-home foods 1/		50	.	.	.	.	269	5.8
	Fast food	50.6	.	.	.	.	272	6.1
	Restaurants	55.4	.	.	.	.	206	6.1
	Other public places	51.2	.	.	.	.	286	5.6
	Others	44.4	.	.	.	.	315	5.5
Female seniors ages 60 and older		44.5	.	.	.	.	386	6.7
At-home foods		44.1	.	.	.	.	400	6.8
Away-from-home foods 1/		47.5	.	.	.	.	278	5.8
	Fast food	48.9	.	.	.	.	308	5.9
	Restaurants	50.1	.	.	.	.	276	6.2
	Other public places	47.1	.	.	.	.	354	6.1
	Others	46.1	.	.	.	.	244	5.5
1994-96
All individuals ages 2 and older		37.2	12.7	128	1641	7.6	394	7.6
At-home foods		35.1	12.1	126	1626	8.2	421	8.3
Away-from-home foods 1/		41.5	14	132	1672	6.3	338	6.2
	Fast food	43.9	15.3	122	1704	5.7	349	6.3
	Schools 2/	40.4	16	104	1607	7.1	662	6.2
	Restaurants	44.3	13.7	180	1877	6.7	295	6.6
	Other public places	35.1	11.2	110	1518	6.6	312	5.4
	Others	37.8	12.8	112	1493	6.5	285	6.1
Children ages 2-17		36.7	13.4	115	1575	6.7	462	7.6
At-home foods		35.1	12.8	118	1570	6.9	474	8.3
Away-from-home foods 1/		40.1	14.7	106	1588	6.2	437	6.0
	Fast food	42.4	15.1	101	1621	5.6	357	5.9
	Schools 2/	40.4	16	104	1607	7.1	662	6.2
	Restaurants	42.3	13.9	142	1721	6.2	336	6.1
	Other public places	41.3	15.2	129	1688	6.1	420	6.0
	Others	36.0	12.9	99	1461	5.8	325	5.9
Adults ages 18 and older		37.3	12.5	132	1662	7.9	372	7.6
At-home foods		35.1	11.9	128	1644	8.6	403	8.2
Away-from-home foods 1/		41.9	13.7	140	1698	6.4	307	6.3
	Fast food	44.4	15.3	129	1728	5.7	347	6.4
	Restaurants	44.5	13.7	185	1895	6.8	290	6.7
	Other public places	34.8	11	109	1511	6.6	308	5.4
	Others	38.4	12.7	117	1503	6.8	272	6.2
Male seniors ages 60 and older		37.7	12.4	148	1710	9.3	394	8.6
At-home foods		35.8	12.1	139	1688	9.9	424	9.2
Away-from-home foods 1/		44.4	13.7	178	1785	6.9	290	6.7
	Fast food	47.5	15.8	161	1811	5.4	329	6.6
	Restaurants	47.0	14.1	212	1993	7.2	274	7.0
	Other public places	38.1	11.6	191	1489	7.9	317	6.3
	Others	40.4	12.4	136	1572	7.3	273	6.6
Female seniors ages 60 and older		36.3	11.7	141	1720	9.9	414	8.7
At-home foods		34.6	11.3	133	1709	10.6	440	9.2
Away-from-home foods 1/		43.0	13.4	170	1766	7.4	311	6.6
	Fast food	44.6	14.8	158	1629	5.6	334	6.5
	Restaurants	46.1	13.9	221	1891	6.9	288	6.7
	Other public places	41.3	11.9	130	1856	9.5	321	6.9
	Others	39.3	12.6	133	1658	8.2	322	6.3
1/ Presents the aggregate of fast foods, restaurants, schools, and others. 2/ Classified as a separate category and are combined into "others" for adults. Sources: Compiled by ERS, USDA from NFCS77-78 and CSFII94-96, one-day data.

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