The three pie charts illustrate the average proportions of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar found in typical meals consumed in the USA, divided into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Overall, dinner contributes the highest percentage of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks are the main source of added sugar. Breakfast consistently accounts for the smallest share of all three nutrients.
In terms of sodium intake, dinner makes up the largest proportion at 43%, followed by lunch at 29%. Breakfast and snacks are equal, each representing 14% of total sodium consumption. A similar pattern is seen for saturated fat; dinner again dominates at 37% while lunch accounts for 26% and snacks for 21%. Breakfast contains the lowest proportion of saturated fat at just 16%.
By contrast, added sugar is most heavily consumed through snacks, which contribute 42% of the total. Dinner and lunch provide smaller shares at 23% and 19% respectively, while breakfast remains the lowest at 16%.
