The following tables show the change in consumption of macronutrients and total calories in the US between 1970 and 1994. It is clear to see that carbs increased (mainly grains and sugar), while fats (saturated) decreased (fish increased, but meat decreased in that group). Overall calories increased by 15%. This is a one-time only study. Other data since 1994 only shows yearly per capita consumption, but from that you can tell that a peak consumption of carbs was reached in the mid-1990s. Unfortunately there was no similar data for Canada that I could find. (If anyone knows of any please advise.) Canadian obesity rates in 2000 were about half the US, however, increasing rapidly. Probably the reason for that is less restaurant food as Canadians have less disposable income, rather than any other fitness or lifestyle differences. One more thing - CDC/FDA/USDA nutritionists knew this 10 years ago, but I guess they forgot to tell the public until now.

(If the tables don't show, read Table 1 as follows: meat fish and poultry - 0 grams of carbs in 1970 and 1994 and 38 grams of protein in 1970 increasing to 43 grams in 1994... and so on. Grams of carbohydrates from grain products increased from 134 to 199 over the period. Total carbohydrate consumption increased from 388 to 491 over the period. Table 2 shows that consumption of fats remained relatively constant. Other tables - not shown - indicate saturated fat consumption decreased, but vegetable oil consumption increased.)


Food Group Meat, Fish, Poultry Dairy Products Eggs Fats and Oils Citrus Fruits Other Fruits Nuts/Legumes/Soy White Potatoes Green/Yell Veg.1/ Other Vegetables Grain Products Sugars, Sweets Miscellaneous Total
Notes: 1/ Includes broccoli, escarole/endive, bell peppers, spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes.
Source: USDA/Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion



Food Group Meat, Fish, Poultry Dairy Products Eggs Fats and Oils Citrus Fruits Other Fruits Nuts/Legumes/Soy White Potatoes Green/Yell Veg.1/ other Vegetables Grain Products Sugars, Sweets Miscellaneous Total * Total **
Notes: 1/ Includes broccoli, escarole/endive, bell peppers, spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes.
Source: USDA/Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion: * Table 42; ** Table 43 (presents conflicting data).

The accuracy of the data would depened on the method used to determine intakes. For example, "disappearance" data tends to overestimate food consumption, especially Fat. Disappearance Data is derived by taking how much food is produced and subtracting what we know know was used Industrally, in Gov't Feedlots, and what remained unsold at the end of the year. Unfortunately, it fails to account for waste, using foods for purposes other than food, spoilage, feeding human food to animals, and such. LF Advocates sometimes try to use disappearance data to say that we are eating more fat than we were in 1970.

The data does show a 3% rise in fat disappearance, but it says right at the beginning that fat wasting has increased 6%...and that's a conservative estimate. Some estimates are even higher. It also shows significant rises in Fruit and Vegetable Disappearance. While Potatoes, Corn (not a veggie,) and Fruit Juices make up a portion of this figure...a good portion is other fruits and veggies, especially Grapes and Bananas. Frozen Berry disappearance has slightly decreased. I wonder how much of the increase in Fruits and Veggies is attributable to increased spoilage and/or waste...

The most dramatic part it shows is the change in Sugars...especially HFCS. Disappearance of HFCS has risen 15,500% since 1970...from 1/2 pound a year to 62.4 pounds a year. To put that in perspective, the Average American in 1970, consumed <1g of HFCS (dry weight) a day, while the average American today consumes 77.6g (dry weight) EVERY DAY. On an side note, the chart includes two types of HFCS: 42 and 55. I assume that refers to the percentage of Fructose. In 1970, the consumption of HFCS-42 was <1g a day, and HFCS-55 was ZERO. Today, we consume 29.5g of HFCS-42 and 48.1g of HFCS-55 per day. Since HFCS is used primarily by packaged food makers, and has an indefinite shelf life, waste, spoilage, and other non-food uses are minimal.