The American diet evolves from one decade to another, reflecting significant overall changes. Which foods are the most commonly consumed depends upon factors such as food and diet trends, product improvements, cost, convenience and availability. Some of the most common, or frequently consumed foods in the United States, as of August 2010, include meat products, cheese and refined grains.
Meat, Poultry and Fish
According to an article published in the Nutrition Action Healthletter; a publication of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or CSPI, the average American eats approximately 120 lbs. of meat, poultry, and seafood a year. This is about twice as much as Americans ate before World War II. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates, meat consumption per person per year may be closer to 190 lbs--with over 110 lbs. coming from red meat. While chicken and fish are, for the most part, healthy, lean proteins, eating a diet rich in pork and beef products may raise the risk of developing colon cancer and heart disease.
Cheese
According to the USDA Economic Research Service, per capita annual averages of total dairy products declined since 1950. However, cheese intake more than quadrupled between 1950 and 2008. This may be due, in great part, to the fact that the American lifestyle emphasizes convenience foods. Over half of the cheese consumed is from commercially prepared and manufactured foods, such as tacos, pizza, sandwiches and salad bars, cheese spreads and sauces. In addition, the availability of pre-shredded Italian and Mexican blend cheeses--regular and reduced-fat--has enhanced consumer interest. Unfortunately, most cheeses are high in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium--all of which should be limited for heart health.
Refined Grains
While Americans eat far more flour, cereal and grain products now than in the 1950s, unfortunately most of them are not fiber-rich whole grains. Per capita use of flour and cereal products has steadily increased since 1970. The greatest consumer demand is for variety breads and bakery items, grain-based snack foods; white and wheat-flour buns, bagels, muffins, granola bars and flour tortillas. Many consumers' diets now exceed the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid serving recommendation for grains. However, because most of the grains are not whole grains, the American diet still falls short on fiber. The average American diet includes only 13g to 18g, below the Recommended Adequate Intake level of 14g per 1,000 calories. Starches, in the form of white grains, may contribute to excess energy intake, which leads to obesity.
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