Changes in the nutrient content of american diets

Health Economics Review

Table 1 Changes in daily per capita nutrient values between 1953-1980 (A) and 1981-2008 (B)

Nutrient	Period	Nutrient		Meats	Poultry	Fish	Eggs	Dairy	Fats	Fruits	Veget.	Pro.fv	Flour	Starch	Sugar	Bever.
		value	unit				Changes in nutrient values
Energy	A	2989.5	Kcal	451.3	74.6	12.7	62.8	384.2	526.8	44.4	18.9	173.0	530.6	168.2	533.0	9.0
	B	3504.4		406.7	165.8	15.5	49.5	379.8	735.4	53.0	24.9	204.6	610.8	253.2	593.1	12.1
Protein	A	83.2	G	22.8	7.0	2.1	5.4	20.6	0.1	0.5	0.8	4.1	15.0	4.0	0.0	0.7
	B	94.7		20.2	15.4	2.6	4.2	21.8	0.1	0.6	1.1	5.1	17.3	5.2	0.0	1.0
Total fat	A	135.2	G	39.2	5.0	0.4	4.2	20.1	59.1	0.3	0.1	4.0	1.4	0.7	0.0	0.6
	B	162.6		35.5	11.1	0.5	3.3	20.6	82.6	0.5	0.2	4.9	1.7	1.0	0.0	0.8
Saturated fat	A	50.7	G	15.0	1.4	0.1	1.3	12.5	19.1	0.1	0.0	0.5	0.2	0.1	0.0	0.3
	B	56.0		13.5	3.2	0.1	1.0	12.9	23.6	0.1	0.0	0.6	0.3	0.2	0.0	0.4
Cholesterol	A	429.7	Mg	105.1	27.7	4.5	180.8	77.2	34.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
	B	405.7		93.3	61.5	5.5	142.5	72.8	30.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Dietary fiber	A	14.2	G	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	1.8	1.3	3.0	4.1	2.8	0.0	1.2
	B	16.1		0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	2.0	1.6	3.5	4.6	2.7	0.0	1.7
Calcium	A	880.3	Mg	17.5	4.3	4.8	22.7	703.1	4.0	11.1	19.4	44.7	22.0	15.7	6.0	4.9
	B	927.2		15.6	9.6	3.9	17.8	718.6	3.2	10.7	24.1	54.7	25.2	16.2	20.9	6.7
Iron	A	14.2	Mg	1.9	0.4	0.1	0.8	0.4	0.0	0.2	0.3	1.6	6.7	1.1	0.2	0.5
	B	16.7		1.7	0.9	0.1	0.6	0.4	0.0	0.2	0.4	2.1	7.8	1.1	0.7	0.7
Vitamin C	A	82.2	Mg	0.2	0.5	0.0	0.0	4.4	0.0	16.2	7.9	36.4	0.0	16.6	0.0	0.0
	B	87.6		0.2	1.1	0.0	0.0	3.6	0.0	16.5	11.3	43.8	0.0	11.0	0.0	0.0
Folate	A	220.7	Mcg	8.9	3.5	0.9	20.1	27.0	0.3	10.5	28.7	58.6	37.8	22.3	0.6	1.5
	B	246.4		7.5	7.5	0.9	15.8	24.9	0.2	12.0	35.8	66.7	43.6	26.8	2.6	1.9
Vitamin A	A	561.6	RE	1.6	19.6	2.3	59.8	216.8	156.5	7.8	57.7	38.0	0.0	1.5	0.0	0.0
	B	610.1		1.5	42.9	2.8	47.1	266.2	126.8	6.9	75.6	36.9	0.0	3.3	0.0	0.0
Vitamin E	A	8.4	ATE	0.3	0.1	0.1	0.4	0.4	5.1	0.2	0.2	1.3	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0
	B	12.7		0.3	0.3	0.1	0.3	0.4	9.0	0.3	0.2	1.6	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0

Notes: Kcal = kilocalories/calories, G = grams, Mg = miligrams, Mcg = micrograms, RE = retinol equivlents and ATE = alpha-tocopherol equivalents. Nutrient values are based on 131 selected food items. Total fat refers to saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Fats group refers to butter, margarine, and cooking oils; Veget. is vegetables; Pro.fv is processed fruits and vegetables; Bever. is nonalcoholic beverages. Period A represents 1953-1980, and period B represents 1981-2008.

ISSN: 2191-1991