Nearly One-Third of U.S. Adults Report Consuming Fast Food on Any Given Day (2021-2023)

Recent analysis from the National Center for Health Statistics reveals that approximately 32% of U.S. adults aged 20 and older consumed fast food on a typical day between August 2021 and August 2023. This reflects a slight decrease in fast-food calorie intake compared to previous years, with adults deriving about 11.7% of their daily calories from fast food, down from 14.1% during 2013-2014. The study, led by Dr. Nimit N. Shah, utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess eating patterns. The findings also show that younger adults tend to consume a higher percentage of their daily calories from fast food, with consumption levels decreasing as age increases.

In addition to adult data, the report highlights that close to 30.1% of children and teenagers (ages 2-19) also consumed fast food on a given day during the same period. Children aged 2-11 consumed an average of 8.5% of their calories from fast food, while adolescents aged 12-19 consumed about 14.6%. The study indicates a historical decline in fast food consumption among youth compared to earlier years, suggesting evolving dietary habits. These insights underscore ongoing shifts in American eating behaviors, emphasizing the importance of nutritional awareness and healthy lifestyle choices.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-adults-consumed-fast-food-day.html