11 Facts About American Eating Habits: Changing trends

1. In a recent study, 52 percent of Americans (that were polled) believed doing their taxes was easier than figuring out how to eat healthy.
    
2. Only 3 in 10 Americans believe that all sources of calories play an equal role in weight gain.
    
3. 75 percent of Americans say they choose products that are lower in total fat at least sometimes.
    
4. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that in 2011 the average American consumed nearly one ton of food. That’s 1,996 pounds of food a year.
   
5. The 2011 study also revealed some other interesting numbers. Americans ate:
   • 632 lbs. of dairy products – 31.4 lbs. of that is cheese.
   • 415.4 lbs. of vegetables. The most popular choices are corn and potatoes. 29 pounds of those veggies are french fries.
   • 273 lbs. of fruit. Mostly apples and oranges.
   • 183.6 lbs. of meat and poultry. 60.4 lbs. is chicken. 62.4 lbs. is beef. 16.1 lbs. is fish/shellfish.
   • 141.6 lbs. of sweeteners. And 53 gallons of soda.
      
6. 20 percent of all American meals are eaten in the car.
   
7. At least 1 in 4 people eat some type of fast food every day.
    
8. Americans consume 31 percent more packaged food than fresh food.
    
9. Healthiness of the food we eat decreases by 1.7 percent for every hour that passes in the day.
    
10. Over 10 billion donuts are consumed in the US every year.
    
11. Americans spend 10 percent of their disposable income on fast food every year.