Did you know that more than half of the calories consumed by both children and adults in the United States come from ultra-processed foods? This startling figure highlights a widespread dietary issue with serious health implications. Understanding how ultraprocessed foods dominate our diets—and what we can do about it—is essential for improving public health and personal wellness.
What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?
Ultra-processed foods are those made with ingredients you wouldn’t typically find in a home kitchen: artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, preservatives, high-fructose corn syrup, and more . These foods are designed to be hyperpalatable, energy-dense, and low in beneficial components like fiber or whole-food nutrients .
How Much of Our Diet Is Ultra-Processed?
Overall Consumption
From August 2021 to August 2023, a remarkable 55% of total calories consumed by Americans aged one and older came from ultra-processed foods .
By Age Group
- Youth (ages 1–18): approximately 61.9% of their calories came from ultra-processed foods .
- Adults (19 and older): about 53% of daily calories came from ultra-processed foods .
There has been a modest but promising decline from earlier figures—down from nearly 66% for children (in 2017–18) and 56% for adults .
Why This Matters
Health Risks Linked to Excess Consumption
High intake of ultra-processed foods has been consistently linked to elevated risks of:
- Obesity and weight gain (e.g., ~500 extra calories/day leads to ~1 pound gained per week) .
- Type 2 diabetes, with each 10% increase in ultra-processed intake correlating with a 12% higher risk .
- Cardiovascular disease—those with highest ultra-processed consumption face a 17% increased risk .
- All-cause mortality: up to a 15% increase at high consumption levels .
Behavioral And Environmental Impact
These foods are engineered to hijack our brain’s reward system—making them highly addictive and harder to stop eating .
They also contribute significantly to waste and environmental strain due to heavy packaging and global supply chains .
Actionable Tips: How to Reduce Ultra-Processed Food Intake
- Shop smart: Choose whole grains, fresh produce, lean proteins, and unprocessed pantry staples.
- Read ingredient lists: Avoid items with long ingredient lists full of additives like preservatives, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners .
- Cook at home more: Preparing meals from scratch lets you control ingredients.
- Follow the 80/20 rule: Aim for 80% whole or minimally processed foods, 20% flexibility .
- Educate the family: Model healthy eating behaviors at home and in schools.
- Be mindful of marketing claims: “Low-fat” or “fortified” labels often mask ultra-processed content .
In summary, over half of the daily calories U.S. kids and adults consume come from ultra-processed foods. Despite a slight improvement in recent years, this dependence still poses serious risks for obesity, chronic disease, and reduced lifespan. The good news? Greater awareness and simple shifts in shopping and eating habits can make a real difference.
Take action today: start by replacing just one ultra-processed item a day with a whole food—whether it’s swapping sugary drinks for water, or packaged snacks for fresh fruit. Every small change helps tip the balance toward better health.