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what age group eats the most junk food

by Chaz Rowe Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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In 2013–2016, 36.6% of adults consumed fast food on a given day (Figure 1). The percentage of adults who consumed fast food decreased with age: 44.9% among younger adults aged 20–39, 37.7% among middle-aged adults aged 40–59, and 24.1% among older adults aged 60 and over.

Full Answer

What is considered junk food for kids?

Junk Food Consumption. Junk food is defined as being soft drinks, desserts, sweets, fast food, alcoholic beverages, salted snacks, and fruit-flavored beverages. For kids under the age of 18, the statistics are even worse. Nutrient-poor foods account for over 30% of the total calories that today’s kids are eating.

What age group eats the most fast food?

It would appear that the age group that eats the most fast food is people between the ages of 20 and 39. Studies show that 45% of Americans in this age group consume fast food on an average day.

How much do you know about junk food?

The Top 10 Junk Food Facts 1 It’s estimated that in the course of an adult American’s life, they will spend around $70,500 on fast food or take-home meals. 2 Around 80% of fast food consumed by children comes from McDonald’s. 3 From the years 2013 to 2016, on an average day, 36.6% of grown-up people would eat fast food. More items...

Which age group is the most likely to skip lunch?

When it came to the 21 to 34-year-old age group, one in four said they missed breakfast most of the time. This age group was also the one most likely to skip eating lunch. However they were the generation most likely to exercise regularly, with 86% claiming they did so.

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Which social class eats the most fast food?

Middle class peopleA study published in Economics & Human Biology last month found that as income rises from the lowest to the middle quintile, so does the amount of fast food consumed, and "more work hours predict greater fast-food intake."

What generation eats the most fast food?

Further, older Millennials (77%) are 33% more likely to eat fast food out of convenience compared to younger Gen Z-ers (58%). Additionally, the respondents under 18 are the most likely (47%) to fancy the taste of fast food, 70% more likely compared to older Millennials.

What percent of teens eat junk food?

During 2015–2018, 36.3% of children and adolescents aged 2–19 years consumed fast food on a given day (Figure 1).

What gender eats the most junk food?

The study discovered that 9.2 percent more men ate fast food for lunch than women did, while 6.2 percent more women visited a quick-service restaurant for a snack.

What is Gen Z favorite food?

Chicken is the preferred protein of choice – with 46 percent of Generation Z saying it's their dinner choice. As the negative connotation to beef continues to rise, this more socially conscious generation has probably looked towards chicken to fulfill their meat-cravings.

What does Gen Z want in food?

Amongst the 'healthiest' options for food, Gen-Zers said they prefer whole, organic and plant-based foods, with 79% considering processed foods unhealthy. This is perhaps unsurprising, given that two thirds (67%) say healthy food is fashionable at the moment.

Do kids eat mostly junk food?

The study showed that 67 percent of the food consumed by American children is junk food.

Do teenagers eat the most?

A significant amount of the body's growth begins to take place around ages 10-12 and peaks around 13-14. Because a teen's body is growing and developing so much at this time, they have higher metabolic needs. This means they need more calories and more vitamins and minerals, especially certain ones like calcium.

What does the average American teen eat?

* About 75 percent of teen dinners are eaten at home, and the typical dinner consists of meat or pasta, vegetables and a side dish of rice or potatoes. * McDonald's is the leading fast-food restaurant among American teens, followed by Taco Bell, Burger King, Pizza Hut and Domino's.

Do younger people eat more fast food?

Older people eat out less Age is another major factor in whether someone eats out a lot—arguably the single, biggest factor. Nearly 45% of Americans age 20 to 39 eat fast food on any given day. By the time they're 60 and over, however, that percentage plunges to 24.1%.

Who eats McDonald's the most?

Don GorskeBornDonald A. Gorske November 28, 1953 Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, U.S.OccupationCorrectional officerKnown forRecord holder of having eaten the most Big MacsSpouse(s)Mary Gorske (m. 1973–present)

What demographic goes out to eat the most?

MillennialsMillennials (defined in the survey as those aged 25 to 34) spent the most dining out, averaging $95 per week. While 43% of millennial respondents said they ate out for convenience, 49% said they eat in restaurants because it provides a social setting for them to spend time with friends and family.

Do millennials eat fast food?

Kicking off the report, we asked “How often do you consume fast food” and found that 26% of millennials opt to order their meals rather than cook, 2-4 times a week.

Does Gen Z cook?

Our study found that 3 out of every 4 Gen Z-ers have cooked their own meals 5+ times per week since beginning to practice social distancing. This sudden shift in eating and cooking habits could be attributed to an overall uncertainty about financial security.

Do millennials like Mcdonalds?

The fast-food chain has divergent community rankings, but millennials are more downbeat. McDonald's has a millennial problem: A disproportionate percentage of young adults say the fast-food chain negatively impacts their community.

What are millennials looking for in a restaurant?

Millennials believe that “a new experience” is an important feature when choosing a place to eat, according to 53% of respondents, with 52% saying they value unique food and 36% that they would pay more for outstanding service in a restaurant.

What is considered junk food?

Junk Food Consumption. Junk food is defined as being soft drinks, desserts, sweets, fast food, alcoholic beverages, salted snacks, and fruit-flavored beverages. For kids under the age of 18, the statistics are even worse. Nutrient-poor foods account for over 30% of the total calories that today’s kids are eating.

How many people never eat fast food?

Only 4% of Americans say they never eat at fast food restaurants. The percentage of Americans who believe that fast food is very good for a person’s health: 2%. 57% of Americans in the 18-29 age demographic saying they eat fast food or other junk food at least weekly. 53% of men report eating fast food regularly while 42% ...

How many servings of fruits and vegetables should a 19 year old eat?

Only 21% of youth age 6-19 eat the recommended 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Only 12% of the grains that children under the age of 19 eat daily are considered whole grains.

How much money does the food industry spend on advertising?

The food and beverage industry spends approximately $2 billion per year marketing to children. Kids watch an average of over ten food-related ads every day, which adds up to over 4,000 food related advertisements over the course of a full year.

What are the best ways to reduce obesity in children?

What Can Be Done To Fix The Problem? 1 Only 21% of youth age 6-19 eat the recommended 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. 2 Only 12% of the grains that children under the age of 19 eat daily are considered whole grains. 3 When children are exposed to television content with food advertising, they eat 45% more food than children exposed to content with non-food advertising. 4 A 2011 review found that “company pledges to reduce food marketing of unhealthy products have failed to protect children under the age of 12 for all types of marketing practices promoting such foods. 5 Each day, African-American children see 2x the amount of calories advertised in fast-food commercials as Caucasian children. 6 A 2007 study found that 50% of the food products that were advertised with fruit on the packaging contained no fruit ingredients at all. 7 84% of the food products that have images which promote healthy eating actually didn’t meet basic nutritional standards. 8 Food advertising has been found to affect the eating habits of children up to 5 years after being exposed to them. 9 Healthcare costs associated with a poor direct could reach $1 trillion by 2030 in the United States alone.

How much does an adult spend on food?

It is estimated that in the course of an adult American’s life, they will spend around $70,500 on fast food or take-home meals. (NYPost) The study estimates this amount based on the 60 years between 18 years old and 78 years old. 3.

How many people eat fast food a month?

14. 80% of people in the United States eat fast food at least once a month. (Gallup) 40% say that they consume fast food at least once in the space of a week. And only 4% of Americans claim never to consume food from a fast-food restaurant.

How many times a week do Americans eat fast food?

In 2018, 31.57% of Americans claimed that they ate fast food one to three times every week. In that same year, 15.8% of Americans said that they ate fast food between four and six times every week. Finally, only 5.65% of Americans said they ate fast food seven to nine times every week.

How many McDonald's are there in the world?

Fast-food consumption statistics from 2018 list that there were 37,855 McDonald’s fast-food restaurants around the world.

What is the most valuable fast food brand in the world?

In 2019, McDonald’s had a brand value of around $130.4 billion. (Statista) This made them the most valuable fast-food brand in the world, according to the fast-food statistics from 2019. 17. The second-most-valuable fast-food brand in the world in 2019 was Starbucks.

How much is KFC worth?

KFC was the third most valuable fast-food brand in 2019. (Statista) At the time, the brand was valued at just over $17.2 billion, which is $28.7 billion less than Starbucks, which came in second. These numbers show the benefits of fast food to the economy as an industry on a large scale. 19.

Which race eats the most fast food?

When it comes to race and ethnicity, Non-Hispanic black adults consume the most fast food on an average day, with 42.4%. (EcoWatch) Non-Hispanic white adults consume the second-largest amount of fast food, with 37.6%. Hispanic adults eat the third-largest amount of fast food, with 35.5%.

What age group is the most likely to skip lunch?

When it came to the 21 to 34-year-old age group, one in four said they missed breakfast most of the time. This age group was also the one most likely to skip eating lunch. However they were the generation most likely to exercise regularly, with 86% claiming they did so.

How often do people eat fast food?

The BBC Good Food Nation Survey found that most people ate fast food on average two days per week. But in the 16 to 20-year-old category, one in six ate fast food at least twice a day, with one in eight among 21 to 34-year-olds eating as frequently.

How much meat should I eat a day?

However, the same proportion were unaware of how much meat is a recommended daily amount. The Department of Health advises an average of no more than 70g per day, which is the equivalent of two-and-a-half rashers of bacon. But nearly one in four people thought the recommended amount of meat was at least double that.

How many people have posted a photo of a meal they cooked on social media?

Social media influence. The survey found that two in five people aged 21 to 34-year-olds had posted a photo of a meal they had cooked, on social networking sites such as Instagram. A third had posted a photo of a meal they had eaten in a restaurant.

How many times a day should I eat meat?

The typical adult now eats meat at least twice a day and has only six meat-free days a month.

What age group is most likely to be vegetarian?

The 21 to 34-year-olds were also the age group most likely to be vegetarian (15%) or vegan (7%). And they were also the age group least likely to be concerned about fat content when buying food (18%), while only half considered the issue of quality when choosing food.

How many meat free days a month?

The typical adult now eats meat at least twice a day and has only six meat-free days a month. Christine Hayes, brand editorial director of BBC Good Food, said it showed it was "easy to be confused about the amount of meat one can enjoy while still eating a healthy, balanced diet".

What percentage of adults consumed fast food on a given day, and did consumption differ by sex and age for 2013–2016?

In 2013–2016, 36.6% of adults consumed fast food on a given day ( Figure 1 ). The percentage of adults who consumed fast food decreased with age: 44.9% among younger adults aged 20–39, 37.7% among middle-aged adults aged 40–59, and 24.1% among older adults aged 60 and over. This pattern by age was observed for both men and women.

Did the percentage of adults consuming fast food on a given day differ by race and Hispanic origin for 2013–2016?

Fast food consumption was higher among non-Hispanic black adults (42.4%) compared with non-Hispanic white (37.6%), non-Hispanic Asian (30.6%), and Hispanic (35.5%) adults ( Figure 2 ). A higher percentage of non-Hispanic white adults consumed fast food compared with non-Hispanic Asian adults.

Did the percentage of adults consuming fast food on a given day differ by family income level for 2013–2016?

The percentage of adults who consumed fast food increased with increasing family income level ( Figure 3 ).

Among adults who reported consuming fast food, did the percentage vary by meal type for 2013–2016?

Among adults who consumed fast food, the most commonly reported eating occasions were lunch (43.7%) and dinner (42.0%), followed by breakfast (22.7%) and snacks (22.6%) ( Figure 4 ).

Summary

During 2013–2016, approximately 37% of adults consumed fast food on a given day. The overall percentage of adults who consumed fast food decreased with age, increased with income, and was higher among non-Hispanic black persons compared with other race and Hispanic-origin groups.

Definition

Fast-food consumption: For each food and beverage item that respondents reported consuming during their 24-hour 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.

Data source and methods

Data for this report are from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) ( 6 ), a cross-sectional survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) designed to monitor the health and nutritional status of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population.

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1.How Much Junk Food Do Teenagers Eat? - The New York …

Url:https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/health/how-much-junk-food-do-teenagers-eat.html

31 hours ago  · What age group eats the most junk food? The BBC Good Food Nation Survey found that most people ate fast food on average two days per week. But in the 16 to 20-year-old category , one in six ate fast food at least twice a day, with one in eight among 21 to 34-year-olds eating as frequently.

2.27 Significant Junk Food Consumption Statistics

Url:https://brandongaille.com/26-significant-junk-food-consumption-statistics/

14 hours ago Which age group eats the most junk food? People ages 20-39 years old eat the most fast food on any given day. Men consume more fast food than women. 83% of American families eat fast food at least once a week.

3.33 Fundamental Fast Food Statistics for 2022 and Beyond

Url:https://supplements101.net/fast-food-statistics/

20 hours ago  · But in the 16 to 20-year-old category, one in six ate fast food at least twice a day, with one in eight among 21 to 34-year-olds eating as …

4.One in six young people eat fast food 'twice a day' - BBC …

Url:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37511554

17 hours ago  · While many of the UK’s European neighbours eat junk food three times per month, they survey claims Brits eat double that, indulging six times a month on average. In fact, the UK eats the most junk food across all age groups. 16-24 year olds in the UK treat themselves to junk food eleven times per month according to HelloFresh, while Belgium ranked in second at seven …

5.Assessing junk food consumption among Australian …

Url:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5382385/

23 hours ago  · However, a recent national survey showed that on average, just over one-third (35%) of total daily energy was from ‘discretionary foods’ (junk foods) and the proportion of energy from discretionary foods was highest among 14–18 year olds (41%) . In addition, this current study indicates that intakes of junk foods are still of concern among specific sub …

6.Products - Data Briefs - Number 320 - September 2018

Url:https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db322.htm

34 hours ago A higher percentage of men (48.3%) than women (39.1%) consumed fast food during lunch, while a higher percentage of women (25.7%) than men (19.5%) consumed fast food from snacks. Figure 4. Percentage of adults aged 20 and over who consumed fast food on a given day, by sex and eating occasion: United States, 2013–2016.

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