(P32-23-26) Top Sources of Energy, Saturated Fat and Added Sugars in the U.S. Diet and Their Contribution to Total Intakes of Under-Consumed Nutrients: NHANES 2017–2023

Objectives: To identify leading food sources of energy (EN), saturated fat (SFA), and added sugars (AS) in the U.S. diet and quantify their proportional contribution to intakes of shortfall nutrients among children and adults.

Methods: Day one 24-hour dietary recall data from children (aged 2-18 years, n=5,578) and adults (aged 19+ years, n=12,591) in the NHANES 2017–2023 cycles were analyzed. Ingredients of FNDDS food recipes were classified into 28 aggregates of WWEIA food categories. Proportionate nutrient composition contributions were then calculated to assess intakes. Thus, intakes included contributions from disaggregated food mixtures (e.g., cheese on pizza was reallocated to the cheese category). Sample-weighted population proportions, i.e., percentages of total intakes, and standard errors, adjusted for the complex sampling design of NHANES were determined using PROC RATIO of SUDAAN (11.0.3).

Results: The highest ranked sources of EN, SFA, and AS were yeast breads and tortillas, cheese, and sweetened beverages, respectively, among both children and adults; and the top ten contributors accounted for 60-68% of EN, and 82-83% of SFA, while only four AS sources (each >4%) accounted for 79-82% of AS. These same SFA and AS sources for both children and adults included dairy, protein, or grain foods that also contributed substantially to shortfall nutrients. Together, ten SFA sources provided 62-71% of calcium, 51-67% of vitamin D, 35-47% of potassium, and 26-55% of dietary fiber; while milk contributed 16-28% of calcium, 29-50% of vitamin D, and 7-16% of potassium; cheese contributed 23-25% of calcium and 7-10% of vitamin D; meats and poultry contributed 15-16% of potassium; and breads contributed 18-21% of fiber. Reasdy-to-eat-cereal, the 4^th ranked AS source, provided 7-12% of vitamin D and 7-9% of fiber.

Conclusions: Several leading contributors to EN, SFA, and AS also provide meaningful amounts of shortfall nutrients. Strategies aimed at reducing calories or nutrients to limit should consider potential impacts on nutrient adequacy to avoid unintended reductions in overall diet quality.

Funding Sources: National Dairy Council/Dairy Management Inc.