U.S. adults eat about one full meal a day in snacks, according to the study

(Dennis Thompson – HealthDay News) — The The average adult in the United States. Eat the same amount of food Snack food every dayA recent study suggests.

Americans consume an average of 400 to 500 calories per day from snacks.More than what they ate for breakfast, based on data from over 23,000 people.

Those extra calories provide little in the way of actual nutritionsaid Christopher Taylor, professor of clinical nutrition at The Ohio State University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

““Snacks contribute to the intake of the food we eat rather than actually being a meal,” Taylor noted in a university news release.

“You already know what dinner will be: a protein, a side dish or two.”Taylor added. But if you snack, it turns into a completely different scenario, usually no carbohydrates, no sugar, little protein, little fruit and vegetables. So it is not a complete food.

There is one bright spot: People with type 2 diabetes eat fewer sugary foods and snacks overall than people without diabetes or with prediabetes.

“Diabetes education appears to work, but even for people who develop diabetes and have normal blood glucose levels, education may need to be reversed to begin improving dietary behaviors before people develop chronic disease,” Taylor said.

In the study, researchers analyzed data from people age 30 and older who participated in the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2016.

The survey asks patients to remember what they ate and when they ate it over a 24-year period.

Snacks accounted for 20 to 22 percent of the total energy intake of all participantsAlthough they provide very low nutritional quality, the researchers noted.

Snacks typically consisted of high-carbohydrate and high-fat foods, sweets, alcoholic beverages, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Less frequently, people consumed protein, milk and milk products, fruits, grains, or vegetables.

The new study appears in the latest issue of the journal PLOS Global Public Health. Taylor acknowledges that 24-hour dietary recall doesn’t necessarily reflect how people typically eat.

Still, “it gives us a pretty good snapshot of a large number of people,” Taylor said. “It will help us understand what’s happening and where it’s happening There may be nutritional gaps and the education we can provide.

The fact that people with diabetes had healthier snacking habits shows that food education can help people change their habits, Taylor said.

However, he recommends a more holistic approach to eating well.

““We need to move from less added sugar to healthier snacking patterns.”Taylor said. “We’ve gotten to the point where we demonize individual foods, but we need to look at the big picture. Eliminating added sugars doesn’t automatically improve vitamin C, vitamin D, phosphorus, and iron. And if we eliminate refined grains, we lose the nutrients that come with fortification.

Taylor emphasizes looking at the whole food picture of a day and scheduling snacks in advance that fill gaps in nutritional needs. “Especially around the holidays, it’s about the environment and what you have, and plan accordingly. And it’s about buying behavior: What’s at home?” Taylor said.

“We think about what we’re going to cook for lunch and dinner, but we don’t plan that for our snacks,” she added. “Then you’re at the mercy of what’s available in your environment.”

More info

The American Heart Association has more information on healthy snacks.

Source: Ohio State University, news release, December 15, 2023