Fast-food Intake Among Adults in the United States, August 2021–August 2023

NCHS Data Brief No. 533, June 2025

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Nimit N. Shah, Ph.D., M.P.H., Cheryl D. Fryar, M.S.P.H., Namanjeet Ahluwalia, Ph.D., D.Sc., and Lara J. Akinbami, M.D.

Fast-food consumption is associated with high caloric intake and poor diet quality (1,2). Patterns of fast-food consumption vary by demographic and socioeconomic factors (3). This report presents estimates of the percentage of calories consumed from fast food on a given day among U.S. adults by selected characteristics during August 2021–August 2023. Trends in the percentage of calories consumed from fast food since 2013–2014 are also presented.

Keywords: calories; diet; National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

What percentage of adults consumed fast food on a given day?

During August 2021–August 2023, 32.0% of adults age 20 and older consumed fast food on a given day (Figure 1, Table 1). Among adults, 11.4% obtained more than 0% but less than 25% of their daily calories from fast food, 12.0% obtained 25% to 50% of their daily calories from fast food, and 8.6% obtained more than 50% of their daily calories from fast food.

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Did the percentage of calories consumed from fast food on a given day among adults differ by age and sex?

During August 2021–August 2023, adults age 20 and older consumed, on average, 11.7% of their daily calories from fast food (Figure 2, Table 2). Overall and for each age group, the difference in the percentage of calories from fast food between men and women was not significant.

The percentage of calories consumed from fast food decreased with age for adults overall and both men and women. The mean percentage of calories consumed from fast food was 15.2% for adults ages 20–39, 11.9% for 40–59, and 7.6% for 60 and older.

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Did the percentage of calories consumed from fast food on a given day among adults differ by age and education level?

During August 2021–August 2023, adults age 20 and older with some college education consumed a higher percentage of calories from fast food (13.4%) than adults with a high school diploma or less (11.2%) and a bachelor’s degree or more (10.8%) (Figure 3, Table 3). Among adults ages 20–39 and 60 and older, those with some college consumed a higher percentage of calories from fast food than those with a bachelor’s degree or more. Among adults ages 40–59, no significant differences were seen in the percentage of calories consumed from fast food by education.

The percentage of calories consumed from fast food decreased with age across all education levels.

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Did the percentage of calories consumed from fast food on a given day among adults differ by age and weight status?

During August 2021–August 2023, the percentage of calories consumed from fast food increased with increasing weight status for adults age 20 and older: 9.8% for underweight or normal weight adults, 10.8% for overweight adults, and 13.7% for adults with obesity (Figure 4, Table 4). A similar pattern was observed for adults ages 40–59 and 60 and older. For adults ages 20–39, the percentage of calories consumed from fast food was lower among those who were overweight compared with those with obesity.

The percentage of calories consumed from fast food decreased with age for all weight status categories.

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Has the percentage of calories consumed from fast food on a given day among adults changed between 2013–2014 and August 2021–August 2023?

Overall, the mean percentage of calories consumed from fast food among adults age 20 and older decreased from 14.1% during 2013–2014 to 11.7% during August 2021–August 2023 (Figure 5, Table 5). Among adults ages 20–39, the mean percentage of calories consumed from fast food decreased from 19.0% during 2013–2014 to 15.2% during August 2021–August 2023. No significant trends were seen for adults ages 40–59 or 60 and older.

The mean percentage of calories consumed from fast food for all adults decreased between the two most recent survey cycles, from 13.4% during 2017–March 2020 to 11.7% during August 2021–August 2023. Among adults ages 20–39, the mean percentage of calories consumed from fast food decreased from 19.2% during 2017–March 2020 to 15.2% during August 2021–August 2023. No significant differences for adults ages 40–59 or 60 and older were seen.

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Summary

During August 2021–August 2023, about one in three adults age 20 and older consumed fast food on a given day (32.0%).

The percentage of calories consumed from fast food by adults on a given day decreased from 14.1% during 2013–2014 to 11.7% during August 2021–August 2023, comparable with a previously reported 2007–2010 estimate of 11.3% (4).

The percentage of calories consumed from fast food on a given day decreased with age and increased with increasing weight status, but no significant difference by sex was seen. Adults with some college education generally consumed more daily calories from fast food on a given day compared with adults with a high school diploma or less and adults with a bachelor’s degree or more.

Fast-food consumption has been associated with an increased intake of calories, fat, sodium, and sugar, and with a lower intake of fiber, calcium, iron, fruits, dairy, whole grains, nuts, and seeds (1,2). Nutrition information is available to consumers on the menus or websites of most fast-food restaurants (5).

Definitions

Fast food: For each food and beverage item that respondents reported consuming during their 24-hour dietary recall, the participant is also asked about the source where they obtained those items. Food reported as “restaurant fast food/pizza” was considered fast food for these analyses.

Calories, kilocalories: A calorie is a measure of the energy produced as foods or beverages are burned for energy in the body. The term calorie is usually used when discussing energy from foods and diets, but the calorie being referred to is actually a kilocalorie (6). In this report, the term calorie refers to kilocalorie.

Percentage of daily calories from fast food: Computed as the calories from foods reported as fast foods divided by total calories reported for a person on a given day, multiplied by 100.

Weight status: Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, rounded to one decimal place. Underweight or normal weight is defined as a BMI less than 25.0, overweight as a BMI of 25.0–29.9, and obesity as a BMI equal to or greater than 30.0.

Data sources and methods

Data from the August 2021–August 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to estimate the percentage of calories consumed from fast food on a given day among U.S. adults and to test for differences between subgroups. Data from four NHANES cycles (2013–2014, 2015–2016, 2017–March 2020, and August 2021–August 2023) were used to assess trends.

NHANES is a cross-sectional survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics designed to monitor the health and nutritional status of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population (7–9). It consists of home interviews followed by standardized health examinations conducted in mobile examination centers (MECs) and two 24-hour (midnight-to-midnight) dietary recall interviews with trained interviewers. Day 1 dietary recall was used for these analyses. The NHANES sample is selected through a complex, multistage probability design.

From 1999 through March 2020, NHANES was conducted continuously. Following a pause in data collection in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, field operations resumed in August 2021 with modifications to the survey content, procedures, and methodologies (10). During August 2021–August 2023, dietary interviews were completed by phone after the MEC examination instead of in person at the MEC as in previous cycles. More details and analyses of this mode change is available in a brief report (11).

Limitations, such as underreporting, are associated with 24-hour recalls and have been well characterized (12,13). However, despite these limitations, dietary data are still useful in assessing population outcomes (14). Fast-food consumption, expressed as a percentage of total energy intake, partially adjusts for misreporting (13).

Day 1 dietary sample weights, which accounted for the differential probabilities of selection, nonresponse, and noncoverage, as well as day of the week of dietary recall, were incorporated into the estimation process. Taylor series linearization was used to compute variance estimates. Differences between subgroups, as well as linear trends, were evaluated using orthogonal contrasts to calculate a Student’s t statistic. Linear regression models were used to evaluate linear and quadratic trends across survey timepoints from 2013–2014 through August 2021–August 2023, adjusting for differential time between survey cycles. Differences were considered significant at p < 0.05. Statistical analyses were conducted using SAS-callable SUDAAN version 11.0 (RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.).

About the authors

Nimit N. Shah is an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer assigned to the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Cheryl D. Fryar, Namanjeet Ahluwalia, and Lara J. Akinbami are with the National Center for Health Statistics, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

References

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   3. Fryar CD, Hughes JP, Herrick KA, Ahluwalia N. Fast food consumption among adults in the United States, 2013–2016. NCHS Data Brief. 2018 Oct;(322)1–8. PMID: 30312154.
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      https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1368980023001799.
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   12. Ahluwalia N, Dwyer J, Terry A, Moshfegh A, Johnson C. Update on NHANES dietary data: Focus on collection, release, analytical considerations, and uses to inform public policy. Adv Nutr. 2016 Jan 15;7(1):121–34. PMID: 26773020; PMCID: PMC4717880. DOI:
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Suggested citation

Shah NN, Fryar CD, Ahluwalia N, Akinbami LJ. Fast-food intake among adults in the United States, August 2021–August 2023. NCHS Data Brief. 2025 Jun;(533):1–12. DOI:
https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/174606.

Copyright information

All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

National Center for Health Statistics

Brian C. Moyer, Ph.D., Director
Amy M. Branum, Ph.D., Associate Director for Science

Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

Alan E. Simon, M.D., Director
Lara J. Akinbami, M.D., Associate Director for Science