(P21-18-26) Food Pattern Equivalent Servings Contributed from Categories of Foods in Their As-eaten Form: NHANES, What We Eat in America, 2009-2018

Objectives: To assess daily intakes from U.S. diets of Food Pattern servings (cup/oz. eq.) and rank Food Pattern contributions (%) from categories of foods in their as-eaten form, including mixed dishes and other foods eaten together, e.g., pizza, salads, and sandwiches.

Methods: Dietary data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009-2018, participants aged ≥2y (n=40,082) were analyzed. Combination codes were used to group foods eaten together. Foods in their as-eaten form were classified into What We Eat in America food categories. Percentages of total Food Pattern servings intakes were determined using SUDAAN.

Results: Unflavored milk was the #1 source (18%) of dairy foods. Other dairy sources included milk on RTE cereal (10%); cheese from sandwiches (13%), burritos/tacos (7%), or pizza (10%); cheese (5%), flavored milk (5%), milk in coffee (4%), milk/yogurt in frozen dairy/shakes (4%) or smoothies/nutritional beverages (3%), and yogurt (3%). Smoothies also provided 4% of fruit. Together, sandwiches, burritos/tacos, and pizza (SBP) contributed 29% of protein foods. Poultry ranked 2^nd (13%) and other protein sources (each 5-6%) included beef, fish/shellfish, poultry or meat mixed dishes, eggs/omelets, and nuts/seeds. Mixtures providing vegetables included SBP (16%), chips/crackers with additions (7%), soups (5%), and pasta, poultry, or meat mixed dishes (each 4%). Top grain sources included SBP (37%), breads (11%), chips/crackers (9%), cookies/cakes (6%), RTE cereal (4%), pasta mixed dishes (4%), and doughnuts/pastries (3%). SBP, cookies/cakes, and frozen dairy/shakes contributed 30%, 10%, and 5% of solid fat, and 5%, 11%, and 5% of added sugars, respectively. Other solid fat sources included doughnuts/pastries (4%), eggs/omelets (3%), and chips/crackers with additions (3%); and other added sugars sources included sweetened beverages (34%), tea (8%), coffee (5%), candy (6%), and RTE cereal (4%).

Conclusions: Many foods providing Food Pattern servings were sources of solid fats and added sugars. Low fat milk, fruits, vegetables, lean meat, and breads contain few solid fats or added sugars when eaten alone. However, the U.S. diet consists of combined foods; therefore, intakes of Food Pattern servings and other ingredients of foods eaten together were associated.

Funding Sources: No external funding