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Eating and Health Module (ATUS): Table 2
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Table 2—Time spent in eating and drinking activities and percent of civilian population age 15 and older engaged in each activity, by various subgroups, averages per day, 2006 annual averages
 

Average minutes per day, population

Average percent engaged in activity
Average minutes per day for persons engaged in each activity
AGE GROUPS
 
Minutes
Percent
Minutes
Age 15-17
Total time in primary eating and drinking
53.44
96.05
55.64
Total time in associated activities 
7.23
24.00
30.13
Secondary eating
12.48
57.49
21.71
Secondary drinking
21.94
33.77
64.98
Age 18-24
Total time in primary eating and drinking
62.09
95.83
64.79
Total time in associated activities 
10.17
34.41
29.54
Secondary eating
19.06
56.83
33.54
Secondary drinking
39.11
33.16
117.96
Age 25-64
Total time in primary eating and drinking
65.74
95.66
68.72
Total time in associated activities 
6.96
25.36
27.44
Secondary eating
16.22
52.66
30.81
Secondary drinking
48.16
36.35
132.49
Age 65+
Total time in primary eating and drinking
80.86
98.47
82.11
Total time in associated activities 
7.56
23.08
32.78
Secondary eating
12.48
42.39
29.43
Secondary drinking
23.58
25.45
92.66
 
Age Group
15+
18+
15+
18+
15+
18+
 
REGION
Metro
Total time in primary eating
67.22
68.2
96.21
96.2
69.87
70.9
Total time in associated activities 
7.79
7.8
26.73
26.9
29.15
28.9
Secondary eating
16.12
16.3
52.88
52.5
30.49
31.1
Secondary drinking
41.32
42.6
34.82
34.8
118.68
122.5
Nonmetro
Total time in primary eating
65.31
65.8
95.77
95.9
68.19
68.7
Total time in associated activities 
5.88
6.0
22.64
22.6
25.96
26.5
Secondary eating
14.08
14.4
47.37
47.2
29.73
30.4
Secondary drinking
43.68
45.1
31.23
31.6
139.84
142.8
 
SEASON
Quarter 1—January, February, March
Total time in primary eating
68.20
68.9
96.99
96.9
70.31
71.1
Total time in associated activities 
7.38
7.4
25.15
25.0
29.33
29.5
Secondary eating
14.91
15.1
51.19
51.0
29.13
29.7
Secondary drinking
37.73
39.1
33.12
33.2
113.92
117.9
Quarter 2—April, May, June
Total time in primary eating
67.43
68.2
96.76
96.7
69.69
70.5
Total time in associated activities 
8.09
8.3
25.63
25.7
31.57
32.4
Secondary eating
13.83
13.8
48.97
48.5
28.25
28.4
Secondary drinking
38.99
40.0
30.71
30.6
126.97
130.8
Quarter 3—July, August, September
Total time in primary eating
67.18
68.4
95.58
95.7
70.30
71.5
Total time in associated activities 
7.32
7.0
27.47
27.6
26.64
25.4
Secondary eating
15.45
15.8
52.95
53.1
29.17
29.7
Secondary drinking
44.67
46.4
35.17
35.6
127.02
130.2
Quarter 4—October, November, December
Total time in primary eating
64.73
65.5
95.22
95.2
67.98
68.8
Total time in associated activities 
6.98
7.1
25.63
26.2
27.24
27.3
Secondary eating
18.75
19.1
54.31
53.5
34.52
35.7
Secondary drinking
45.46
46.5
37.55
37.3
121.07
124.8
 
CONSTANT GRAZERS (4.5+ hours eating/drinking)
Total time in primary eating
83.69
84.0
93.54
93.4
89.47
89.9
Total time in associated activities 
7.43
7.6
28.30
28.8
26.24
26.5
Secondary eating
79.57
80.9
91.42
91.2
87.05
88.7
Secondary drinking
376.96
378.9
89.60
89.4
420.70
423.9
 
NO PRIMARY EATING/DRINKING
Total time in primary eating
0.00
0.0
0.00
0.0
0.00
0.0
Total time in associated activities 
—
—
—
Secondary eating
35.06
34.9
80.07
80.9
43.79
43.2
Secondary drinking
106.80
112.5
59.71
60.8
178.88
185.0
 

— = suppressed due to small cell size (base is less than 1.2 million)
Note: A primary activity refers to an individual's main activity. Included in primary eating and drinking are codes 110101 and 110199 for eating and drinking, code 119999 for eating and drinking, not elsewhere classified, and code 050202 for eating and drinking as part of job. Travel times related to eating and drinking (codes 181101 and 181199) and waiting associated with eating and drinking (codes 110201 and 110299) are included in associated activities.
Constant grazers are defined as persons who have a total of 4.5 hours of eating/drinking among primary and secondary eating and drinking.
Data refer to persons 15 years or older.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics American Time Use Survey and ERS Eating and Health Module.

 
For more information, contact: Karen Hamrick

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Updated date: April 22, 2009