From Vital and Health Statistics of the National Center for Health Statistics Number 54 � February 27, 1sw

Reissued to correct Number 54. December 17, 1979

Fats, Cholesterol, and Sodium Intake in the Diet of Persons 1-74 Years:

United States

by Sidney Abraham and Margaret D. Carroll, M.S.P.H., Division of Health Examination Statistics

introduction

Several dietary components of the current diet in

the United States may be risk factors in the development of major diseases, particularly cardiovascular

diseases and cancer.1 -1Z Because of the importance

of the reported relationship between dietary components and disease patterns, this report provides

reference data on the consumption patterns and

food groups that are the major sources of these

components.

The dietary data were obtained during the first

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

NHANES I. The survey is a program in which measures of nutrition status are collected for a scientifically designed sample representative of the civilian

noninstitutionalized population of the United States

in a broad range of ages.

Of the 28,043 sample persons selected to represent 194 million persons aged 1-74 years in the U.S.

population, 20,749 persons, or 74 percent, were

examined. This is an effective response rate of 75

percent when adjustment is made for the effect of

oversampling among preschool children, women of

childbearing age, the poor, and the elderly.

The NHANES I nutrition examination component included a general medical examination by a

physician for indicators of nutritional deficiencies, a

skin examination by a dermatologist, and a dental

examination by a dentist. Body measurements were

taken by a trained technician; a dietary interview,

consisting of a 24-hour recall of food consumption

and a food frequency questionnaire, was administered by professional dietary staff; and numerous

laboratory tests were performed on whole blood,

serum, plasma, and urine. A description of the sampling process, NHANES I operations, and response

rates has been published. 13

Estimates in this report were based on weighted

observations, i.e., data obtained on examined persons

are inflated to the level of the total population using

appropriate weights to account for both sampling

fractions and response results. “

Findings on the consumption patterns and sources

of food groups from dietary components will be analyzed and discussed in a future report.14 Selected

data from that report are presented in tables 1-8 and

figure 1.

Information on food intake was obtained by the

24-hour recall method for the day, midnight to midnight, preceding the interview and accounted for all

regular meals eaten as well as for between-meal foods

or snacks. Food recall included foods eaten onMonday

through Friday but generaHy excluded foods eaten on

weekends which may pertain to unusual food intakes.

Foods reported by individuals were grouped under

18 main headings (figure 1). Eleven of these food

groups were major sources of the nutrients, cholesterol, and sodium intake and are shown in tables 1-7.

These 11 food groups and the other 7–sources of

only small proportions of nutrients, cholesterol, and

sodium-are shown in table 8. Contents of food

groups 1-18 referred to in this report are presented

int-igurel.

Fat intake

NHANES I provided data on dietary intake of

total fat and saturated fat. The data did not permit

evaluation of total polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, but intake data were availabie

for Iinoleic and oleic fatty acids.

The quality and kind of fat in the diet affects the

serum lipid concentration, Saturated fat tends to elevate and polyunsaturated tends to decrease the serum

cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fatty acids considered essential for nutrition are linoleic, linolenic,

and arachidonic. Of the three, Iinoleic is relatively

more abundant in foods than the other two. Monounsaturated fat, of which oleic acid is the most

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Public Health Service, Office of Health Research, Statistics, and Technology
2 adfancedata

Figure 1. Food or food groups contributing to fat, cholesterol, and sodium intakes

FOOO OR FOOD GROUP

1 Milkand milk products. , . . . . . . . . . .

2 Meat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Organ meats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 Fatsand oils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 Desserts and sweets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 Mixed protein dishes with carbohydrates.

starches or vegetables. . . . . . . . . . .

6 Cereals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7 Poultry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8 Fish orshellfish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9 Eggs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 Fruits andvagetables. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 Salty snacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12 Grain products ...,.... . . . . . . . . .

13 Alcoholic beverages. . . . . . . .

14 Sugar free andlow calorie beverages . .

15 soups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

16 Legumes and nuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17 Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18 Sugar andprimarily sugar products. . . . . .

EXPLANATION OF FOOD ITEMS

Includes milk drunk as a beverage or used oncereals; flavorad milk drinks ;cocoa

made with milk; skim milk, yogurt, or buttermilk ;ice milk; icecrear norpuddings

made with milk; cheese and cheese dishes. EXCEPTION: CREAM CHEESE

Includes beef, pork, lamb, veal, luncheon meam, canned meats, frankfurters

Includes liver, kidney, heart, spleen, etc.

Includes butter, margarine, salad oils, salad dressings, bacon, cream cheese, cream,

peanut butter, non-dairy cream

Includes cake, pie, cookies, fruit puddings, doughnuts (cake-type and yeasttype), sherbert, sweet snacks. EXCEPTIONS: ICE CREAM, ICE MILK

Includes casseroles, pot pies, pizza, spaghetti with meat, etc. EXCEPTICINS:

PLAIN CHEESE OISHES

Includes breakfast cereals either dry such as cornflakes or cooked such as oatmeal.

Includes chicken, turkey, duck, game birds, cornish hen, etc.

Includes all varieties of fish and shellfish regardless of whether canned, fresh,

frozen, dried or salted.

Includes eggs eaten e.g., fried, boiled, poached, deviled, or egg salad. EXCEPTIONS: EGGS IN COOKED OR BAKED DISHES SUCH AS CUSTARDS, AND

PUDDINGS

Includes: a, All kinds: fresh. canned, frozen, cooked or raw; juices, including

fruit drinks

b. Fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin A

c. Fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C

Includes potato chips, corn chips, puffed snacks, cheese snacks, saltad popcorn,

salted pretzels, etc.

Includes bread, rolls, biscuits, muffins, cornbread, crackers, unsalted pretzels.

Includes a) beer, b) wine, c) distilled liquors

Includes coffee (regular, and decaffeinated ), tea, bouillionr consomme and

diet carbonated dr!n ks

Includes milk and water-based; gravies and sauces (meat and vegetable based)

Includes dry beans and peas such as pinto beans, red beans, black-eyed peas, peanuts, soybeans, soy products, etc.

Includes mustard, gelatin, malt, beverage powders, chili powders, seeds, low fat

salad dressings, etc.

Includes candy, soft drinks, lemonade, Iimeade.
3

Table 1. Mean daily fat intake and percent of calories provided by fat, by sex and age: United States, 1971-74

Both saxes Male Female

A@ Mean fat i%cent of Mean fat l%cent of Mean fat Fwcent of

intake calories intake calories intake calories

(gram) from fat (gram) from fat (gram) from fat

l-74 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 37 100 37 66 36

l-5years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 36 65 36 60 37

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 36 89 37 77 36

12-17years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 37 115 37 77 37

1844years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 37 114 37 68 36

45-64years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 37 93 37 60 36

65.74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 35 74 36 51 35

common fatty acid, does not

serum lipids.

Findings from NHANES

average reported consumption

elevate or lower the

I showed that the

of fat was 83 mum

on ti-e da~ of recall. Fat_ represented 37perc&tof

t.lmcalorie sconsumeddaily (table l). Males reported

ahigherfatintake, ameanof100 gramsperday, than

females (66grarns) did. The percent ofcalones from

fat was 37 percent for males and 36 percent for

females.

The daily mean fat intake of females increased

with age from 60 grams at the youngest age group

(1-5 years) to a maximum of 77 grams at the age

group (6-1 7 years) and then declined in each successively older age group (table 1).

A somewhat similar pattern was found for males.

However, the mean fat intake was higher in each age

group than that for females (an expected occurrence

since the reported food intakes of males provided

more calories than the diets of females did).

The major souces of fat in the diet for both males

and females aged 1-74 years, in descending order of

their percent contribution, were meat, milk and milk

products, fats and oik, desserts and sweets, and grain

products. These five food groups provided more than

70 percent of the fat for each sex and age group in

the population (table 2).

Meat

The meat PJOUp includes beef, pork, lamb, veal,

luncheon meats, canned meats, frankfurters, and

organ meats. For both males and females the percent

contribution of meat to the fat value of the diet increased with age from the youngest ages ( 1-5 yeans),

peaked at the adult ages ( 18-44 years), and then deTable 2. Mean daily fat intake and percent of fat provided by selected major food groups, by sex and age: United States, 1971-74

Source of fat

Mean fat

Sex and age intake Milk and Fa8 and Desserts

(gram) Meat milk

Grain

oils and products Odrer

products Smts

Male

l-74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

l-5years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

12-17 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

1844 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

45-84 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

65-74 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Percent

25 19 15 8 6 26

16 30 14 9 6 25

17 28 13 10 7 25

21 25 12 10 6 26

28 16 15 7 6 27

27 14 19 7 7 26

24 15 20 8 7 25

Female

l-74 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 21 20 16 8 7 28

l-5years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 16 31 13 9 5 25

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 17 29 13 9 7 26

12-17 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 21 23 12 9 6 28

1844 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 23 16 17 8 7 29

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 24 15 19 8 7 27

65-74 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 21 16 22 8 8 26
4 ackincedata

clinecl slightly. Adult males consumed larger percents

of fat from meat than adult females did. There was

no difference in the percent contributions of meat

to total fat intake for males and females ages 1-17

years.

Milk and milk products

The milk and milk products group includes whole

milk, skim milk, or buttermilk reported as a beverage

or used on cereal, flavored milk drinks, cocoa made

with milk, yogurt, ice milk, ice cream, puddings made

with milk, and cheese and cheese dishes. Foods from

this group supplied more of the fat in the diets of

children 1-11 years of age than any other food group

did, accounting for roughly 30 percent of the total

fat consumed by young boys and girls. The percent

contribution of milk and milk products to fat intake

for males and females genemlly declined with age,

with the lowest percen~s falli;g

groups. This pattern for children

of that found for the meat group.

Fats and oils

in the older age

was the opposite

The fats and oils group includes butter, margarine, salad oils and dressings, bacon, cream cheese,

creamy peanut butter, and nondairy cream. Gravies

and low calorie salad dressings are not included. The

largest percent contribution of fats and oils to fat

intake was at the oldest age group (65-74 years) of

males and females where it accounted for 20 and 22

percent, respectively. However, a smaller percent

contribution of fats and oils was in the intakes of

children and adolescents.

Desserts, sweets, and grain products

The desserts and sweets and the grain products

groups were less important as sources of fat in the

U.S. diet. Desserts and sweets, excluding candy, contributed 7-10 percent of the daily fat intake, with the

percent contribution about the same iii each age

group and for both sexes.

Grain products generally contributed a slightly

smaller percent of fat to the diet than the desserts

and sweets groups did. By age, values ranged from 6-7

percent for males and 5-8 percent for females.

Saturated fat

Table 3 shows that the age patterns described for

total fat consumption of males and females were

also observed for saturated fat. TabIe 3 also shows

the seven food groups that were the major sources

of saturated fat. Altogether, these grou:ps provided

85 percent or more of the saturated fat for each agesex group. As with total fat intake, the milk and milk

products group is the major source of saturated fat

for chiIdren and adolescents of both sexes. For adults

the meat group was the major source.

Other sources of saturated fat were fats and oils,

mixed protein dishes, grain products, desserts and

sweets, and eggs.

Milk and milk products (table 3) supplied 29 percent of the saturated fat in the food intakes of males

and females ages 1-74 years. The age patterns found

in percent contributions of these foods to total fat

intake for males and femaIes were also found for

saturated fat. The largest percent was obsewed in the

lowest age group (1-5 years). After these ages the

Table 3. Mean daily saturated fat intake and percent of saturated fat provided by major food groups, by sex and age: United States, 1971-74

Sex and age

Mean

Source of saturated fat

saturated

fat intake

Milk and Fats and Mixed Grain Desserts

(gram)

milk Meat oils

promin products and Eggs Other

produce dishes swwets

Male

l-74 years . . . . . . . . . . 37

l-5 years . . . . . . . . . . . 25

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . 34

12-17 years . . . . . . . . . 42

18-44 years . . . . . . . . . 42

45-64 Vears . . . . . . . . . 34

65-74 years . . . . . . . . . 27

Female

l-74 years . . . . . . . . . . 24

l-5 years . . . . . . . . . . . 23

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . 30

12-17 years . . . . . . . 29

18-44 years ..,...... 25

45-64 years . . . . . . . . 22

65-74 years . . . . . . . . 18

29

43

41

36

24

21

23

29

45

42

34

24

23

24

28

17

19

24

33

32

27

25

17

19

24

27

28

25

12

10

9

10

12

16

17

13

9

9

9

13

17

18

Percent

5 5

5 4

6 5

6 4

6 5

4 5

4 5

6 5

5 4

6 4

5 4

6 5

5 5

5 6

5

5

5

5

5

4

5

5

5

5

6

6

5

6

4

5

3

2

4

5

7

4

5

2

2

4

6

6

12

11

12

13

13

12

11

13

11

13

15

14

12

12
advancedata 5

.

Table 4. Mean daily Iinoleic fatty acid intake and percent of Iinoleic fatty acids provided by major food groups, by sex and age:

United States, 1971.74

Mean Source of Iinoleic fatty acids

Iinoleic

Sex and age fetty acids Fats atrd Salty Fruits Desserts

intake and h.feat

Grain

oils snacks and Poultry products Odrer

(gram) veq tables sweets

Male

l-74 years . . . . . . . . . . 10

l-5years . . . . . . . . . . . 6

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . 8

12-17 years . . . . . . . . . 11

1844 yeara . . . . . . . . . 12

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . 9

65-74 years . . . . . . . . . 7

Female

l-74years . . . . . . . . . . 7

l-5years . . . . . . . . . . . 5

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . 7

12-17 years . . . . . . . . . 8

18-44 years . . . . . . . . . 8

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . 6

“65.74 years . . . . . . . . . 5

38

38

37

31

38

44

45

39

37

34

32

40

44

49

9

11

14

16

8

2

1

9

14

17

18

7

3

2

12

10

10

14

12

10

9

10

9

8

11

12

10

7

Percent

10 6

8 7

7 7

7 7

11 6

11 5

11 7

8 6

7 6

7 6

7 7

8

9 :

8 6

5

5

6

6

5

5

5

5

4

6

5

5

5

5

4

4

4

3

4

5

5

5

5

5

3

5

5

7

16

17

16

15

16

16

17

17

17

17

17

16

17

16

share of saturated fat from the milk group declined

with increased age, falling from 41 and 42 percent,

respectively, for males and females ages 6-1 I years

to about 23 percent in the oldest age group (65-74

years) for both sexes.

The meat group (table 3) supplied 28 and 25 percent, respectively, of the saturated fat in the food intakes of males and females ages 1-74 years. The percent contribution increased from the younger ages for

both sexes, peaked at ages 18-44 years for males and

at ages 45-64 years for females and then declined.

In the younger ages, both sexes showed a relatively larger share of saturated fat from milk and

milk products than from meat products. After ages

12-17 years, the share from meat was relatively higher

than that from milk and milk products.

The contribution of fats and oils to saturated fat

intake ranged from 9 to 17 percent for males; older

males reported the largest percent of their saturated

fat from fats and oils. A simiIar pattern was generaIIy

observed for females. The contributions of mixed

protein dishes, desserts and sweets, grain products,

and eggs to this dietary component were relatively

smaller. For each food group, the percents by each

sex-age group were fairly constant with no observable age pattern.

Linoleic acids

Fats and oil products were the major sources of

Iinoleic acids for males and females in all age groups

(table 4). The largest percent intake from this fatty

acid occurred after age 44 years–more than 40 percent for both males and females. At the younger ages

this food group contributed more than 30 percent of

the daily Iinoleic acid.

Salty snacks were the second major contributor

to linoleic acid for both males and females ages 1-17

years. The percent contribution of salty snacks to

linoleic acid decreased rapidly after ages 12-17 years

for both males and females. Fruits and vegetables

were the second major contributors to Iinoleic acid

for males ages 18-44 years and for females ages 18-64

years, while meat was the second major contributor

to linoleic acid for males ages 45-74 years and females

ages 65-74 years.

Other major contributors to linoleic acid were<

desserts and sweets, grain products, and poultry. Generally, the share of Iinoleic acids from these food

groups remained fairly stable with age.

Oleic acids

Meat, milk and milk products, fats and oils,

desserts and sweets, grain products, and mixed protein dishes were the major sources of oleic fatty acids,

providing about 80 percent of the oleic acids in the

intakes of most sex-by-age groups (table 5).

For the population aged 1-74 years, meat was the

major source of oleic acids. The percent contributed

by those foods peaked at ages 18-44 years for males

and at ages 18-64 years for females and then declined

slightly.

The share of oleic acids reported from the milk

and milk products group was largest among children

and adolescents, the pattern previously observed for
6 aduancedata

Table 5. Mean daily oieic fatty acid intake and percent of oleic fatty acids provided by major food groups, by sex and age: United States, 1971-74

Mean oleic Source of oleic fatty acids

Sex and age

fatty acids

Milk and

intake Fats and Desserts Grain Mixed

(gram)

Meat milk

oils and products protein Odrer

products sweets dishes

Male Percent

l-74 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 28 15 15 9 8 6 19

l-5 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 18 24 16 10 8

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

6

19 23

18

15 10 9

12-17years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

7

24 20

17

13 10 8

18-44years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

7

31

18

13 14 8 8

45-64years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

7

30 11

19

18 8 9

65-74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

4

25 12

20

20 10 9 4 20

Female

l-74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 24 16 16 10 8 6 19

l-5years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..$. 28

18 25 15 9 7 6

20 24

18

14 9 8

12-17years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

7

24

17

19 13 10 8

1844years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

7

26 13

2(3

16 10

45-64yea~ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

8 7

26 12

20

19 9 8

65-74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

5

23 12

20

22 10 9 4 19

other sources of fat. After age 18 the percent contribution of oleic acids from this food group decreased

most rapidly with age, declining to about 12 percent

in the older age groups.

The third source of oleic acids, the fats and oils

group, contributed 13-20 percent of the oleic acids

in the daily intake of males with a slight increase for

the oldest age group. A similar narrow range of 13-22

percent was noted for females of comparable ages,

with a slight increase also noted for the oldest age

group.

Desserts and sweets and grain products each contributed about the same percent of oleic acids with

no noticeable differences between sex and age groups.

Cholesterol intake

Eggs, meat, and milk and milk products were the

major sources of cholesterol, contributing 77 percent

of the daily intake of cholesterol for males and 74

percent for females (table 6). The desserts and sweets

group and the fats and oils group contributed 3-6 percent and 2-4 percent, respectively, of the cholesterol

for all the sex and age groups.

Eggs were the major source of cholesterol for children aged 1-5 years and for adults of both sexes. Each

of these subgroups reported more than a third of their

cholesterol from this source.

Adolescents aged 12-17 years reported relatively

more cholesterol intake from the meat food group–

more than one-fourth of their daily intake–than the

other major food sources.

Milk and milk products and eggs were the major

sources of cholesterol reported by boys ages 6-11

years (about 28 percent) but only milk and milk

products were the major sources of cholesterol reported by girls of similar ages (30 percent).

The percent contribution of eggs to cholesterol

intake generally declined with age after ages 1-5 years

for both sexes to a low at ages 6-11 years for females

and at ages 12-17 years for males and then increased

with age.

The largest percent of cholesterol intake from

meat occurred at ages 18-44 years for males and at

ages 12-17 years for females. The share of cholesterol

intake from meat then decreased with ag, declining

to 21 percent for males and,23 percent for females in

the oldest age group. The percent contribution of

cholesterol from milk and milk products peaked at

ages 6-11 years for both sexes with the foods from

this group supplying least of the cholesterol intake in

the older age groups (table 6).

The mean cholesterol consumption of males increased from age group 1-5 years, peaked at age

group 18-44 years, and then declined. The mean

cholesterol consumption of females increased with

age, peaked at age group 45-64 years, and then

declined; the average cholesterol consunnption for

females was the same for the youngest age group ( 1-5

years) and the oldest age group (65-74 years).

Sodium intake

NHANES I data on sodium intake were converted

to salt intake, assuming a ratio of 1 gram of salt to

400 mg. of sodium. The salt data from NHANES I
damdata7

Table 6. Mean daily dietary cholesterol intake and percent of cholesterol pro’vided by major food groups, by sex and age: United States, 1971.74

Sex and age

Mean

Soume of cholesterol

cholesterol

intake

MiJk and &ww-ts

Eggs Meat

Fats and

(mg) 1

milk and Other oiis

products StWets

Male

1.74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1.5years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12-17years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18-44years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65-74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Female

l-74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

l-5years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12-17yeara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1844years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45-64years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

65-74years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Percent

445 35 26 16 4 4 16

301 40 15 25 4 3 14

347 28 19 27 5 3 18

410 23 26 25 5 4 17

521 35 28 13 4 3 16

465 39 27 11 3 4 16

411 45 21 11 4 4 14

303 34 24 16 5 4 18

274 40 15 26 4 2 13

277 21 20 30 3 20

291 25 26 23 : 3 18

311 34 25 13 5 4 19

327 40 25 11 4 4 17

274 40 23 11 5 4 17

lMilligrarn

are incomplete because the values cover only natur- Arnong age groups, the differences in reported perally occurring sodium in foods and sodium addedby cent by sourceof sodium were small (tabIe 7).

processors. Table salt is not included in these data. Table 7 also shows the seven food groups that

Males reported an average daily consumption of supplied 78 percent ormore ofsodium forallsex and

2,701 mg. of sodium or about 7 grams of salt and age groups. Foods such as mustard, ketchup, worfemales reported an average daily consumption of cestershire sauce, and other condiments, the major

1,850 mg. of sodium or about 5 grams of salt. sources of sodium, accounted for onIy 0.2 percent in

Table 7. Maan daily sodium intake and percent of sodium provided by major food groups, by sex and age: United States, 1971-74

Mean

Swine of sodium

Sex and age

sodium

Milk and Mixed

intake Grain

Fruits

milk protein Fats and

(mg)’

soups Meat and

products

Other

products dishes oils vegetables

Male

l-74years . . . . . . . . . .

l-5years . . . . . . . . . . .

6-n years . . . . . . . . . .

12-17 years . . . . . . . . .

1844years . . . . . . . . .

45-64 years . . . . . . . . .

65-74 years . . . . . . . . .

Percent

2,701 24 13 12 10 9 7 6 19

1,886 20 18 11 12 7 6 6 20

2,532 23 16 13 9 7 6 5 22

2,965 23 15 14 8 8 6 5 21

3,032 23 12 13 9 10 8 6 18

2,540 25 11 8 11 10 8 8 19

2,229 26 11 6 13 9 8 7 21

Female

l-74years . . . . . . . . . . 1,850 23 14 11 10 8 8 6 19

l-5 years . . . . . . . . . . . 1,721 20 19 12 11 7 6 6 20

6-n years . . . . . . . . . . 2,238 23 16 12 10 7 7 5 20

12-17 yeara . . . . . . . . . 2,001 23 16 12 9 8 8 5 19

18-44 years . . . . . . . . . 1,863 23 13 13 10 9 8 7 18

45-64 years . . . . . . . . . 1,702 24 12 8 11 10 9 7 18

65-74 years . . . . . . . . . 1,526 27 13 5 11 7 8 8 21

‘Milligram

NOTE: HAN ES sodium intaka valuas converted to salt intake values assuming a ratio of 1 gram of salt to 400 mg of sodium.
8 ackncedata

Table 8. Percent distribution of dietary components provided by food groups appearing in the 24-hour recall of food consumption and

mean intake of dietary components of persons aged 1-74 years: United States, 1971-74

Food or food group

Pro tein Fat Sodium Saturated Linoleic

Calories fatty acid Oleic acid

(gram) (gram)

Cholesterol

(m9)’ (gram] acid

(gram) (gram) (m9)’

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Skim milk or buttermilk . . . . . . . . .

Cheese and cheese products . . . . . . . .

Milk and milk products excluding

cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Meat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Poultry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Organ meats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fish orshellfish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Eggs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

soups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fatsand oils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Legumesand nuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cereals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Grain products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Fruits andvegetables. . . . . . . . . . . .

Sugar andprimari{y sugar products. . . .

Dessertsand sweets . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mixed protaindishes. . . . . . . . . . . .

Alcoholic beverages. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Sugar free andlow calorie beverages . . .

Salty snacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

100.0

1.2

1.9

12.9

13.6

2.0

0.2

1.1

2.5

1.6

6.3

1.7

1.8

14.7

10.8

8.8

8.4

0.6

5.0

3.3

0.4

1.5

1,989

100.0

2.5

3.5

15.9

29.5

6.6

0.6

3.6

4.2

1.1

2.0

2.1

1.2

10.8

5.0

0.6

2.9

0.4

6.7

0.4

0.1

0.5

79

Percent distribution

100.0 100.0 100.0

0.4 1.3 0.1

3.4 4.1 4.9

15.8

22.9

2.3

0.4

1.2

4.6

2.0

15.6

1.6

0.4

6.4

5.1

1.9

8.2

0.3

5.4

2.2

83

8.2

8.7

0.2

0.1

0.7

3.1

9.9

6.3

2.0

3.3

23.4

7.6

0.6

6.5

0.3

11.4

0.3

0.6

1.5

2,262

23.9

26.5

1.9

0.3

0.8

4.1

1.7

12.3

1.2

0.1

4.7

3.3

1.9

!5.0

0.1

!5.4

1.6

30

100,0

0.1

2.9

12.5

25.7

2.5

0.4

1.1

4.9

1.7

15.5

1.7

0.1

8.2

3.5

2.2

9.1

0.1

6.3

1.4

31

100.0

1.0

8.7

4.6

0.3

1.4

3.0

2.6

38.8

2.2

0.5

5.1

11.1

1.6

6.4

1.2

2.7

8.8

9

100.0

0.2

2.4

13.6

22.9

4.1

2.0

2.5

34.2

0.6

3.6

0.2

3.6

1.1

0.1

4.3

4.5

0.1

372

‘Milligram

the 24-hour recall data because of minimal volume

consumption. NHANES I data indicate that grain

products are themajor contributing source of sodium

in the 24-hour recall data. Grain products contributed

about one-quarter of the sodium intake in all sex and

age subgroups, providing 20-27 percent in all groups.

The percents are fairly stable throughout the age

groups.

The milk and milk products group was generally

the second major source of sodium intake. Younger

males and females showed a higher percent of sodium

intake from milk and milk products than adults did.

This pattern is expected because of the higher consumption of milk and milk products by the younger

groups. Other major sources of sodium were mixed

protein dishes and soups.

Mixed protein dishes contributed 6-14 percent

of the daily sodium intake for males and 5-13 percent

for females. Both sexes aged 45-74 years showed

smaller shares of sodium from this group of foods

than those in the younger age group.

The percent contribution of soups to sodium

remained fairly stable with age ranging from 8-13

percent for males and from 9-11 percent for females.

Other food groups contributing smaller amounts

of sodium in the diets of the U.S. population were

meats, fruits and vegetables, and fats and oils. These

food groups generally contributed less sodium to the

daily intake in all population subgroups than grain

products, milk and miIk products, and mixed protein

dishes did. The differences between sexes in percent

of sodium intake were small. For each sex, age was

not a factor. The percent of dietary components provided by all food groups appearing in the 24-hour

recall of all persons aged 1-74 years in the United

States is presented in table 8.

Discussion

Reference data on dietary components implicated

in increased risk to disease have been presented and

analyzed by sex and age because of the medical interest in such data. These estimates are generalized

for the U.S. population and provide cross-sectional

data on the consumption of selected dietary components as reported by persons representing different

age groups in the U.S. population. The limitations of

cross-sectional data should be recognized in considering age group changes. The use of 24-hour recall to

estimate dietary habits is also a limitation. Recent

food intakes do not necessarily reflect lifetime

dietary habits. Since the disease processes of those

cited are long-term, it is questionable to relate recent

dietary habits to the risk of these diseases. The esti-
admncedata 9

mates in this report will be compared with NHANES

H data on food consumption patterns which will be

available in 1981.

There are limitations to the dietary estimates

obtained from NHANES I. The major source of

data for the basic nutritional values of food items is

from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Handbook

No. 8.1 S Because of the introduction of new food

items in the market, updated and added values for

new foods are made according to information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),

food processors, and manufacturers. With the exception of cholesterol, all nutrient values for chicken,

steak, pork chops, and meat 1~af were calculated

using USDA Handbook No. 456. I GCholesterol values

were calculated using an article by R.F. Feeley, P.E.

Criner and B.K. Watts.l 7 However, despite the considerable data on the nutrient composition of foods,

information is less than optimal in those areas of the

macronutrients whose importance is of immediate

interest.

More of the data used in NHANES I, obtained

from the USDA data bank, are for commodities

than for brand name convenience foods.

Another problem is lack of information on the

lipid content of food served by institutions, restaurants, and fast food outlets;l a the main sources of

compiled data have covered onIy food eaten in the

home. The present dietary data bank was compiled

mainly for nutrients-e. g., vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron–whose deficiency led to the classical

nutritional diseases.

References

i~eric~ He@ Association: Inter-Society Commission fOr

Heart DiseaseResources:Primary preventionof atherosclerotic

diseases. Circwlrtion 42(6): A55, Dec. 1970.

2Turpeinen, O.: Effect of cholesterol-lowering diet on mortality from coronary heart disease and other causes. Circu&-

t-icm59(l): 1-7, 1979.

3Keys, A., cd.: Coronary heart disease in seven countries.

Circulation 41 (Supp. 1).,1970.

4Wynder, E. L.: Nutritional Carchogewsis 360-378. Annals

of the New York Academy of Sciences. Vol. 300. Food and

Nutrition in Health and Disease, 1977. Edited by N. H. Moss

and J. Mayer.

5McGandy, R. B., Hegsted, D. M., and Stare, F. J-: Dietary

fats, carbohydrates and atherosclerotic vascular disease. New

Engl J Med. 277:186,1967.

6Stamler, J.: Diet-related Risk Factors for Human Atherosclerosis: Hyperlipidemia, Hypertension, Hyperglycemia -

Current Status. In Diet and Atherosclerosis, edited by C.

Sirtori, G. Ricci, and S. Gorini, New York Plenum Press, 1973,

p. 125.

7Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Status Report, 1977.

8Haqer, A. E.: Dietary goals - a skeptical view. Am. ~ Clin.

Nutr. 31:310-321, 1978.

9~efic~ He~th Foundation: Position statement of diet

and coronary heart disease. Prey. Med. I (1,2): 255-286, Mar.

1972.

1@JationaI Institutes of Health: Atherosclerosis–A report

by the National Heart and Lung Institute task force on arteriosclerosis. Vol. II. DHEW Pub. No. (NIH) 72-219. National

Institutes of Health, Washington. U.S. Government Printing

Office, June 1971.

1]National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council,

Food and Nutrition Board and American Medical Association,

The Council on Foods and Nutrition: Diet and Coronary Heart

Disease. Washington, D.C. National Academy of Sciences and

American Medical Association, July 1972.

12Dietary Go&j for the United States, Select Committee on

Nutrition and Human Needs, United States Senate, 2d edition.

Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Dec. 1977.

13Nation~ Center for He~th Statistics: Plan and operation of

the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, United States,

1971-73. Vital and Halth Statistics. Series 1-Nos. 10a and,

10b. DHEW Pub. No. (HSM) 73-1310. Health Services and

Mental Health Administration. Washington. U.S. Government

Printing Office, Feb. 1973.

14Nationa1 Center for Health Statistics: Consumption patterns in the United States, 1971-1974. Vital and Health Statistics. Series 11. Public Health Sewice, DHEW, Hyattsville,

Md. To be published.

15Watt, B. K., ~d Merrill, A.: Composition of Foods-Raw,

Processed, Prepared. Agriculture Handbook No. 8 (rev.).

Washington. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1963. Revised

Data Tape, Expansion (Mar. 1972).

16Adms, D. F.: Nutritive Value of &nerican Foods, In

Common Units - Agriculture Handbook No. 456, Washington.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, November 1975.

17Fee1ey, R. F., Criner, P. E., and Watts, B. K.: Cholesterol

Content of Foods, J. American Dietary Association, 61:

134-149, 1972.

18Food Qua~ty in Federal Food programs, Hearings before

the Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs of the

United States Senate. 95th Congress, First Session, Sept. 1977,

Part 2. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Statement of Dr. Kent K. Steward, pp. 73-82.
10 advancedata

Technical notes

The sampling plan for the 65 examination locations in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) followed a highly stratified

multistage probability design in which a sample of the

civilian noninstitutiona.lized population of the conterminous United States aged 1-74 years was selected.

Successive elements used in the sampling process were

the primary sampling unit, census enumeration

district, segment (a cluster of households), household,

eligible person, and sample person. The sampling

design provided for oversampling among persons living

in poverty areas, preschool children, women of

childbearing age, and the elderly.

The dietary component vaIues are shown as population estimates, i.e., the findings for each individual

have been “weighted” by the reciprocal ctf the probability of selecting the person. An adjustment for

persons in the sample who were not examined and

post-stratified ratio adjustments were also made so

that the final sampling estimates of the population

size are brought into closer alignment with the independent U.S. Bureau of the Census estimates for the

civilian noninstitutiona.lized population of the United

States as of November 1, 1972, by race, sex, and age.
dmcedab 11

Symbols

--- Data not available

. . . Category not applicable

Quantity zero

0.0 Quantity more than O but less than 0.05

* Figure does not meet standards of

reliability or precision