Children’s Diets Primarily Made Up of Ultra-Processed Foods, Finds CDC

In the newest edition of a report that the CDC uses to provide estimates on the percentage of ultra-processed food that Americans consume each year, the results were enlightening for both children and adults in the country. About 62% of children’s and teens’ daily calories are coming from ultra-processed foods, closely followed by adults, who have an intake that equals about 53% of their daily calories, according to the report.^1,2

Ultra-processed foods made up 63% of children's and teens' daily calorie intake according to a CDC report | Image credit: colorcocktail - stock.adobe.com

The report is part of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s continued initiative to reduce the amount of ultra-processed food in the United States. The secretary of HHS has previously talked about his goals of reducing the number as much as possible, including asking for food companies to stop using certain food dyes in their products.³ Kennedy has also pointed to ultra-processed foods as the cause of the “chronic disease epidemic” in America, believing that a reduction in the consumption of such foods would lead to a healthier country.

“Ultra-processed foods” has become a catch-all phrase for foods that require involved methods to produce them or foods that are synthesized with other compounds, which can help them last longer on the grocery store shelf. Ultra-processed foods can include foods like frozen pizza and instant noodles but also store-bought bread.⁴ Previous reviews have found that there is a link between ultra-processed foods and mortality from any cause, including heart disease and mental health conditions.

The CDC report aimed to assess how many people in America were consuming these ultra-processed foods, as it could enlighten the government and the people of the US alike on how much work needed to be done to reduce the intake of these foods. The report was based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that was conducted between August 2021 and August 2023.¹ The definition of ultra-processed food was based on the NOVA classification developed in Brazil, which classifies ultra-processed foods as those that are industrial creations that are made with little whole food.

Burgers, hot dogs, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were among the top sources of ultra-processed foods in children and adults, according to the report. Salty snacks, sugary drinks, and baked goods were also among the most frequently cited sources of ultra-processed food consumption. Those with higher incomes also tended to eat fewer ultra-processed foods compared with those with lower incomes.

"Although youth and adults consumed the majority of their calories from ultra-processed foods in the past decade, a decrease was seen in ultra-processed food consumption among youth and adults between 2017–2018 and August 2021–August 2023, and a decrease was seen among adults from 2013–2014 to August 2021–August 2023," the CDC reported.¹

Marketing, said Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, is a foundational part of decreasing use of ultra-processed foods, as most foods are marketed toward kids. “They’re seen as cool and are iconic and you’re lucky to eat them, because that’s how they’re marketed,” she said in a statement.²

The new report emphasizes the need to reduce ultra-processed foods in the diets of Americans but necessitates that experts pick out the actual harmful ultra-processed foods rather than all such foods, as some ultra-processed foods are beneficial. However, as the majority of ultra-processed foods can be harmful, it’s important to define which foods carry health risks as the administration moves toward lowering the number of ultra-processed foods in the diets of all Americans.

References

1. Williams AM, Couch CA, Emmerich SD, Ogburn DF. Ultra-processed Food Consumption in Youth and Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023. NCHS Data Brief. 2025;536:1-11. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db536.htm

2. Lovelace B Jr. Ultra-processed foods make up the majority of kids’ diet, CDC report finds. NBC News. August 7, 2025. Accessed August 7, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/ultra-processed-foods-make-majority-kids-diet-cdc-report-finds-rcna223481

3. Nowell C. Inside RFK Jr’s conflicted attempt to rid America of junk food. The Guardian. July 8, 2025. Accessed August 7, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/08/rfk-jr-junk-food

4. MacMillan C. Ultraprocessed foods: are they bad for you? Yale Medicine. July 10, 2024. Accessed August 7, 2025. https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/ultraprocessed-foods-bad-for-you