Tag: American nutrition

According to the National Institutes of Health, between 65% and 80% of vitamin A in high-income countries like the U.S. comes from preformed vitamin A found in animal products and fortified foods. This highlights where most Americans get their vitamin A, relying on a combination of natural and enriched dietary sources.

The USDA's first nutrition recommendations for the general public appeared in the mid-1890s, marking the beginning of a century-plus effort to guide American eating habits. This initial guidance was issued through Farmer's Bulletins and was primarily based on the work of USDA agricultural chemist, Wilbur O. Atwater.

Since their inaugural release in 1980, the *Dietary Guidelines for Americans* have become a cornerstone of federal nutrition policy. However, a common misconception is that these guidelines are updated every decade. In fact, their publication schedule has followed a different, more frequent cycle for much of their history.

The terms "calorie" and "kilocalorie" are often used interchangeably, but they represent different scientific measurements. In the United States, a curious linguistic convention means that when people and food labels refer to "calories," they are actually referring to kilocalories (kcal).

While medical conditions like celiac disease affect an estimated 1% of Americans, a significantly larger portion of the population chooses to avoid gluten for non-medical reasons. This has led to a boom in the gluten-free market and diverse motivations for cutting the protein from their diets.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2013–2016, 64% of Americans aged two or older report consuming three meals on a given day. However, when snacks are included, the total number of eating occasions significantly increases, revealing a much more complex answer to the question of **how many meals a day in the USA** are actually consumed.