The charts illustrate the average proportions of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar consumed in typical meals in the USA, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Overall, dinner contains the highest percentages of sodium and saturated fat, whereas snacks account for the greatest share of added sugar. Breakfast contributes the smallest proportion in all three categories.
In terms of sodium intake, dinner makes up the largest proportion at 43%, followed by lunch at 29%. In contrast, both breakfast and snacks contribute the lowest figures, each representing 14% of sodium consumption. A similar pattern can be seen for saturated fat. Dinner again ranks first, accounting for 37%, while lunch makes up 26%. Snacks contribute 21%, and breakfast has the smallest share at 16%.
Regarding added sugar, the distribution is noticeably different. Snacks dominate this category, representing 42% of total added sugar consumption. Dinner accounts for 23%, while lunch and breakfast make up 19% and 16%, respectively.
