U.S. diets are still out of balance with Federal recommendations

While Americans are consuming more vegetables, dairy products, and fruit than in 1970, the average U.S. diet still falls short of Federal recommendations for these major food groups, as provided in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released January 7, 2016. In contrast to the recommended daily 2.5 cups of vegetables on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, Americans consumed an average of 1.7 cups in 2013, according to ERS food availability data. That is 68 percent of the recommended amount, up from 60 percent in 1970. In 2013, U.S. consumers ate or drank an average of 1.8 cups of dairy products per day—60 percent of the recommended 3 cups and an increase from 1.6 cups in 1970. Fruit consumption for Americans was the farthest below guidance at 43 percent of the recommended 2 cups. Americans, on average, consumed more than the recommended amount of meat/eggs/nuts and grains in 2013. The data for this chart come from the Loss-Adjusted Food Availability data series in ERS's Food Availability (Per Capita) Data System.