America's Health Report Card is Out ... and We Get a ___

Published on: December 15, 2006

The Census Bureau released its 2007 Statistical Abstract of the United States today; and it shows a thirsty and increasingly health conscious nation, although (no surprise) we are still fat!

Topline highlights from the study:Americans drank 23.2 gallons of bottled water per capita in 2004. Consumption was only 2.7 gallons of bottled water in 1980.

Per capita consumption of corn sweeteners, including high-fructose syrup, totaled 59.2 pounds in the United States in 2004, up from 19.0 pounds in 1980 but on a downward trend from 60.8 pounds consumed in 2000.

In 2004, people made more than 1.1 billion trips (ambulatory care visits) to physicians' offices, hospital outpatient departments and emergency rooms.

Americans are consuming more protein than ever: poultry (72.72 lbs per capita in 2004 compared to 40.8 lbs in 1980), red meat (112.0 lbs per capita in 2004 compared to 111.6 lbs in 2003 but less than 1980's 126.4 lbs), fish & shellfish (16.5 lbs per capita in 2004 compared to 12.4 lbs in 1980)

Americans are consuming:

Less fat and oils than previous years but still more than in 1980 (56.9 lbs per capita in 1980, 87.5 lbs in 2004)
More dairy (591.8 lbs per capita in 2004 compared to 543.1 in 1980)
More caloric sweeteners in 2004 than 1980 but less than in 2003 (141.0 lbs per capita in 2004, 141.4 lbs in 2003, 120.2 lbs in 1980)
More cocoa beans (6.0 lbs per capita in 2004 up from 3.4 lbs in 1980)
More peanuts (6.7 lbs per capita in 2004, 5.1 lbs in 1980)
More tree nuts (3.6 lbs in 2004, 1.8 lbs in 1980)
More carbohydrates than ever are finding their way into our stomachs: more rice (9.5 lbs per capita in 1980, 20.4 lbs in 2004), more corn (12.9 lbs in 1980 and 30.9 lbs in 2004), more oat (3.9 lbs in 1980 and 4.7 lbs in 2004)
Fresh fruit intake rose from 106.5 lbs in 1980 to 127.1 lbs in 2004. America's favorite fresh fruits? Bananas (25.8 lbs per capita), citrus (22.7 lbs), apples (18.8 lbs), and watermelon (13.0 lbs).

But unfortunately when it comes to our waistlines, "more" is the rule here as well: 65% of Americans were above their healthy weight with roughly 34% overweight and 32% obese. (overweight is a BMI of 25 and over but less than 30 while obesity is equal to or over 30).

Column Archives

For archived copies of 200 Food and Health News stories, click the links below: