NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 176 ■ December 2014

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Health Statistics

Nut Consumption Among U.S. Adults, 2009–2010

Samara Joy Nielsen, Ph.D., M.Div.; Brian K. Kit, M.D., M.P.H.; and Cynthia L. Ogden, Ph.D., M.R.P.

Key findings

Data from the National 

Health and Nutrition 

Examination Survey, 

2009–2010

● Almost 40% (38.2%) of 

adults consumed nuts on a 

given day.

● More non-Hispanic white 

(43.6%) than non-Hispanic 

black (23.7%) or Hispanic 

(25.5%) adults consumed nuts.

● Approximately 80% of nuts 

consumed (84.0% by men and 

79.7% by women) were nuts or 

seeds as single-item foods or 

nut butters.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage the consumption of 

nutrient-dense foods such as nuts and seeds (1). Nut consumption has been 

associated with improved nutrient intake and diet quality (2–4) and improved 

health outcomes, including those related to cardiovascular disease (5–11). This 

report examines the percentage of U.S. adults who consumed nuts on a given 

day, using data from one in-person, 24-hour dietary recall interview.

Keyword: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Were there differences by age in the percentage of U.S. 

adults aged 20 and over who consumed nuts on a given day 

in 2009–2010?

Approximately 40% (38.2%) of U.S. adults consumed nuts or seeds (referred 

to collectively here as nuts) on a given day (Figure 1). As age increased, the 

Figure 1. Adults aged 20 and over who consumed nuts on a given day, by sex and age: 

United States, 2009–2010

1

Significant linear trend by age.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2010. Percent

0

10

20

30

40

50

Total Men Women

Total 20–39 years 40–59 years 60 years and over

38.2

1

35.0

38.6

42.3

36.7

1

33.2

38.2

40.0 39.5 1

36.8

38.9

44.1
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 176 ■ December 2014

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percentage of adults consuming nuts increased. Among those aged 20–39, 35.0% consumed nuts, 

while among those aged 60 and over, 42.3% consumed nuts. Similar trends were seen in men and 

women. Among men aged 20–39, 33.2% consumed nuts, while 40.0% of men aged 60 and over 

consumed nuts. Among women aged 20–39, 36.8% consumed nuts, while 44.1% of women aged 

60 and over consumed nuts.

Were there differences by race and Hispanic origin in the percentage of 

U.S. adults aged 20 and over who consumed nuts on a given day in 

2009–2010? 

Differences existed by race and Hispanic origin in the percentage of adults who consumed nuts. 

On a given day in 2009–2010, more non-Hispanic white adults (43.6%) consumed nuts than 

non-Hispanic black (23.7%) or Hispanic (25.5%) adults (Figure 2). Similar differences were 

seen among men and women. Among men, 42.4% of non-Hispanic white adults, 21.9% of nonHispanic black adults, and 22.4% of Hispanic adults consumed nuts. Among women, 44.8% of 

non-Hispanic white adults, 25.1% of non-Hispanic black adults, and 28.5% of Hispanic adults 

consumed nuts. Percent

Figure 2. Adults aged 20 and over who consumed nuts on a given day, by sex and race and Hispanic origin: 

United States, 2009–2010

1

Non-Hispanic white is significantly different from non-Hispanic black and Hispanic.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2010.

0

10

20

30

40

50

Non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic black Hispanic

Total Men Women

1

43.6

23.7

25.5

1

42.4

21.9 22.4

1

44.8

25.1

28.5
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 176 ■ December 2014

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What percentage of U.S. adults aged 20 and over consumed more than 1.5 

ounces of nuts on a given day in 2009–2010?

One and one-half ounces of nuts is approximately 240 calories and is the daily amount that the 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggests may reduce heart disease (12). Although 

63.3% of men and 60.5% of women did not consume any nuts on a given day, 14.4% of men and 

11.8% of women consumed greater than 1.5 ounces of nuts in 2009–2010 (Figure 3). Percent

Figure 3. Adults aged 20 and over who consumed nuts on a given day, by sex and amount: United States, 2009–2010

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2010.

0

20

40

60

80

100

Greater than or equal 

to 1.5 oz

Greater than 0 but less

than 1.5 oz

None

Men Women

63.3

22.3

14.4

60.5

27.7

11.8
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 176 ■ December 2014

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What was the source of the nuts consumed in 2009–2010?

Approximately 80% of the nuts consumed on a given day (84.0% among men and 79.7% among 

women) were consumed as nuts (nuts as a single-item food, not as an ingredient in candy, breads, 

cakes, cookies, cereals, or other mixed dishes) or nut butters (Figure 4). Almost 7% (6.7%) of 

nuts consumed by men and 8.5% of nuts consumed by women were consumed as part of a grainbased dish. Eight percent of nuts consumed by men and 8.5% of nuts consumed by women were 

consumed as part of a candy food item. 

Other3

3.4%

Figure 4. Source of the nuts consumed on a given day, among adults aged 20 and over, by sex: United States, 2009–2010

1

Nuts and seeds and nut butters.

2

Includes breads, cakes, cookies, and cereals.

3

Includes ice cream, cheese, mixed dishes, and nutrition bars.

SOURCE: CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–2010.

Women

Other3

1.3%

Grains2

6.7%

Candy

8.0%

Nuts1

84.0%

Grains2

8.5%

Candy

8.5%

Nuts1

79.7%

Men
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 176 ■ December 2014

■  5  ■

Summary

Almost 4 in 10 U.S. adults consumed nuts on a given day in 2009–2010. More women than men 

consumed nuts, and as age increased, the percentage of adults who consumed nuts increased. 

More non-Hispanic white than non-Hispanic black or Hispanic adults consumed nuts. 

Improved nutrient intake and diet quality have been shown to be associated with nut consumption 

(2–4). Because nuts and seeds are calorie-dense and high in protein, small portions can be eaten 

as a replacement for other protein foods (1). Nut consumption has also been associated with 

decreased obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes (5–11). And in 2003, 

the FDA approved a qualified health claim that “scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, 

that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol 

may reduce the risk of heart disease.” The results in this report show that about 40% of adults 

consumed nuts on a given day, while just over 1 in 10 consumed 1.5 ounces or more of nuts on a 

given day. 

Definitions

Nuts and seeds: Refers to almonds, almond butter, almond paste, Brazil nuts, cashews, cashew 

butter, chestnuts, flax seeds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, peanut butter, peanut flour, 

pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, squash seeds, sesame butter (tahini), sesame seeds, 

sesame paste, sunflower seeds, and walnuts (13).

Nut consumer: Any individual who consumed foods containing nuts, as defined by the 

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Patterns Equivalents Database nut and 

seed food group, during the 24-hour recall.

Data source and methods

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2009 through 2010 

were used for these analyses. NHANES is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics to assess the health and nutritional status 

of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population. The survey combines an in-home interview 

and a standardized physical examination at a mobile examination center (MEC). For this report, 

data were collected via an in-person 24-hour dietary recall interview (14) in the MEC. Dietary 

recalls cover intake during the day (24 hours) prior to the standardized physical examination 

in the MEC. The USDA Food Patterns Equivalents Database (13) was used to identify which 

reported foods were nuts (and seeds) or contained nuts (and seeds), and to convert foods to ounce 

equivalents.

The NHANES sample design includes oversampling to obtain reliable estimates of health and 

nutritional measures for population subgroups. Data were analyzed using the day 1 dietary sample 

weights to account for the days of the week, differential probabilities of selection, nonresponse, 

and noncoverage. The standard errors of the percentages were estimated using Taylor series 

linearization, a method that incorporates the sample design.

Unadjusted prevalence estimates are presented because the objective of the analysis was to show 

the percentage of the population that actually consumed nuts. Differences between groups, and 
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 176 ■ December 2014

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tests for linear trends, were evaluated using a t statistic at the p less than 0.05 significance level. 

All differences reported are statistically significant unless otherwise indicated. Statistical analyses 

were conducted using SAS version 9.3 (SAS Institute, Cary, N.C.) and SUDAAN version 11.0 

(RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.).

About the authors

Samara Joy Nielsen, Brian K. Kit, and Cynthia L. Ogden are with CDC’s National Center for 

Health Statistics, Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

References

1. USDA, HHS. Dietary guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th ed. Washington, DC: U.S. 

Government Printing Office. 2010.

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intake and diet quality in US adults: An analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination 

Survey (NHANES) 1999–2004. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 19(1):142–50. 2010.

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associated with improved nutrient intake and health risk markers in US children and adults: 

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004. Nutr Res 32(3):185–94. 2012.

4. King JC, Blumberg J, Ingwersen L, Jenab M, Tucker KL. Tree nuts and peanuts as 

components of a healthy diet. J Nutr 138(9):1736S–1740S. 2008.

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of coronary heart disease: Multiple potential mechanisms. J Nutr 138(9):1746S–1751S. 2008.

6. Mattes RD, Kris-Etherton PM, Foster GD. Impact of peanuts and tree nuts on body weight 

and healthy weight loss in adults. J Nutr 138(9):1741S–1745S. 2008.

7. Zhou D, Yu H, He F, Reilly KH, Zhang J, Li S, et al. Nut consumption in relation to 

cardiovascular disease risk and type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 

prospective studies. Am J Clin Nutr 100(1):270–7. 2014.

8. Bao Y, Han J, Hu FB, Giovannucci EL, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Fuchs CS. Association of 

nut consumption with total and cause-specific mortality. N Engl J Med 369(21):2001–11. 2013.

9. Afshin A, Micha R, Khatibzadeh S, Mozaffarian D. Consumption of nuts and legumes and 

risk of incident ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes: A systematic review and metaanalysis. Am J Clin Nutr 100(1):278–88. 2014.

10. Jackson CL, Hu FB. Long-term associations of nut consumption with body weight and 

obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 100(Suplement 1):408S–411S. 2014.

11. Salas-Salvadó J, Guasch-Ferré M, Bulló M, Sabaté J. Nuts in the prevention and treatment of 

metabolic syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr 100(Supplement 1):399S–407S. 2014.

12. FDA. Qualified health claims: Letter of enforcement discretion—Nuts and coronary 

heart disease (Docket No 02P–0505). 2003. Available from: http://www.fda.gov/Food/

IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm072926.htm.
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13. Bowman SA, Clemens JC, Thoerig RC, Friday JE, Shimizu M, Moshfegh AJ. Food patterns 

equivalents database 2009–10: Methodology and user guide. 2013.

14. NCHS. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: MEC in-person dietary 

interviewers procedures manual. 2009. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/

nhanes_09_10/DietaryInterviewers_Inperson.pdf.
NCHS Data Brief ■ No. 176 ■ December 2014

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Suggested citation

Nielsen SJ, Kit BK, Ogden CL. Nut 

consumption among U.S. adults, 2009–

2010. NCHS data brief, no 176. Hyattsville, 

MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 

2014.

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

Charles J. Rothwell, M.S., M.B.A., Director

Jennifer H. Madans, Ph.D., Associate 

Director for Science

Division of Health and Nutrition 

Examination Surveys

Kathryn S. Porter, M.D., M.S., Director

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