A recent analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed that most of the calories consumed by young Americans in recent years come from “ultra-processed” foods.
This CDC analysis, which examined data from the National Hygiene and Nutrition Survey (NHANES) between August 2021 and 2023, focused on calorie intake among young people and adults in the U.S.
Using the NOVA classification system, “ultra-processed” foods were identified as those containing industrially prepared ingredients and artificial additives like colorings and emulsifiers.
The NHANES data included participants aged 1 year and older who provided a dependable diet recall starting from day one of their interview.
A total of 6,633 individuals were part of this analysis. For youth in the U.S., about 62% of their daily calorie intake came from ultra-processed foods, while among adults, the figure stood at 53%.
Youth were classified as individuals aged 1 to 18, with adults defined as those 19 and older.
Interestingly, children aged 6-11 had the highest average percentage of processed foods in their diets, which accounted for 64.8% of their calorie intake. In contrast, adults over 60 had the lowest percentage, at 51.7%.
The study also noted a decline in the consumption of ultra-processed foods among both young people and adults during the period from August 2021 to 2023.
This report surfaces shortly after the Trump administration took steps to amend the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to restrict its use for purchasing processed foods.
In 2026, states like Colorado, Louisiana, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Texas, and Florida received federal exemptions to modify SNAP guidelines, effectively banning the use of state funds for junk food purchases.
Colorado’s exemptions particularly pointed to sodas as a prime example of the junk foods not qualifying for SNAP benefits.
According to NHANES data, the leading sources of ultra-processed food for young people included sandwiches, sweet baked goods, savory snacks, pizza, and sugary beverages.
