Changes in Contribution of Savory Snacks to Energy, Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Whole Grains in the Diet of Adults Over the Last Decade: An Analysis of NHANES 2001–2012
Authors: Fulgoni Victor L , Pan Yang , Harkness Laura , Freedman Marjorie R 
Published: November 2023

The USDA “Snacks and Sweets” category contains savory snacks (SAV) which is comprised of potato chips (PC); tortilla, corn, other chips (CH); popcorn (POP); and pretzels, snack mixes (PREZ). Trends in contribution these foods make as subject‐defined snacks to the US adult (19+ yrs) diet were assessed using the National Health and Nutrition Examinations Surveys 2001–2012. One day dietary recall data were used excluding those with incomplete records and those pregnant/lactating (n=25,033). Regression analyses were used to determine change in amount or percentage contribution to daily energy, saturated fat, sodium, and whole grains over the last six 2‐yr periods of NHANES. The regression coefficient (beta) of data release was used to assign direction and magnitude of changes over time with p<0.05 deemed significant. Over the six survey cycles, there was no change (mean ± SE) in energy (71 ± 4 kcal/d in 2011–2012; beta: − 0.34 kcal/2yr period, p=0.6654) or percentage of energy (3.1 ± 0.2 % in 2011–2012; beta: −0.01 percentage units per 2yr cycle, p=0.7999) from the SAV category. Saturated fat from SAV (0.7 ± 0.08 g/d in 2011–2012) decreased by 0.1 g/d per 2yr period (p=0.0001) and the percentage of calories from saturated fat also decreased significantly (2.9 ± 0.2 % in 2011–2012; beta: −0.2 percentage units per 2yr cycle, p=0.0001) from 2001–2012. Sodium from SAV (77.0 ± 3.6 mg/d in 2011–2012) decreased by 5.9 mg/d per 2yr period (p<0.0001) and the percentage of sodium from SAV also decreased significantly (2.2 ± 0.1 % in 2011–2012; beta: −0.14 percentage units per 2yr cycle, p=0.0001). There was a small increase in ounce equivalents (oz equiv) of whole grains (0.13 ± 0.02 oz equiv in 2011–2012; beta: 0.01 oz equiv/2yr period, p=0.0057) but not percentage of daily whole grains (11.8 ± 1.4 % in 2011–2012; beta: −0.02 percentage units per 2yr cycle, p=0.9532) from the SAV category from 2001–2012. Percentage of energy from PC, CH, and PREZ did not change over the study period and significantly decreased for POP (0.47 ± 0.05% in 2011–2012; beta: −0.03 percentage units per 2yr cycle, p=0.0433). The percentage of calories from saturated fat contributed by PC decreased (0.9 ± 0.07 % in 2011–2012; beta: −0.2 percentage units per 2yr cycle, p<0.0001) while the contribution from CH, POP, and PREZ remained similar over time. The percentage of sodium decreased for POP (0.36 ± 0.04 % in 2011–2012; beta: −0.04 percentage units per 2yr cycle, p=0.0108) while the percentage contribution from PC, CH, and PREZ remained similar. There was no change in percentage of whole grains from PREZ. While the contribution from POP decreased (6.1 ± 0.7 % in 2011–2012; beta: −0.6 percentage units/2yr period, p=0.0016), whole grains from CH increased (4.3 ± 0.7 % in 2011–2012; beta: 0.8 percentage units per 2yr cycle, p<0.0001) from 2001–2012. In conclusion, the overall contribution of savory snacks to adult daily energy intake was small, and has remained similar over the 12‐year study period. However, the contribution of savory snacks to saturated fat and sodium intake decreased significantly, while the whole grain contribution did not change.

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Funding provided by PepsiCo Inc.