Historical Comparison


Do we eat too much Junk Food?

  •  It is estimated that today Americans each week eat an average of 3 hamburgers apiece in 2013.
  • 4 hamburgers apiece in 1969.
  • About 20 billion (15 billion in 1968) hot dogs are consumed per year: 
    • This means an average of 70 hot dogs per person today.
    • 75 hot dogs per person in 1968.
  • U.S. availability of ice cream has declined since its peak of 22.7 pounds in 1946
  • Despite the multitude of offerings in the ice cream aisle, ice cream availability has fallen to 12.9 pounds per person in 2012, down from 16.7 pounds in 1970. 

Do we drink too much Soda?

  • Over the last 20 years, sales of full-calorie soda in the United States have plummeted by more than 25 percent. 
  • Soda consumption, which rocketed from the 1960s through 1990s, is now experiencing a serious and sustained decline. (New York Times, October 2015)

Only Potato Chips Consumption is stable.

  • Potato chips consumption hasn’t changed since 1970 with 4.3 pounds per person/year.

Americans Eat Healthier

Nationwide Comparison 1980 vs. 2015

  • Analyzing the U.S. Department of Agriculture data, we can have a better overview of the Nation’s food consumption trends over the last 30 years.