The bar charts illustrate the average proportions of three unhealthy nutrients – sodium, saturated fat and added sugar – consumed in four types of meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Overall, it is clear that dinner contributes the highest percentages of sodium and saturated fat, while snacks contain by far the most added sugar. In contrast, breakfast is generally the meal with the lowest levels of these unhealthy components.
Looking first at sodium, dinner accounts for the largest share at about 40%, followed by lunch at roughly 30%. Breakfast and snacks both contain considerably less sodium, at around 15% each. A similar pattern can be seen for saturated fat: dinner again ranks highest at approximately 45%, with lunch contributing about 35%. Breakfast provides around 25%, while snacks are slightly lower, at close to 20%.
In terms of added sugar, the pattern is different. Snacks dominate sugar intake at around 75%, far exceeding the other meals. Dinner is the second-highest source at just over 50%, whereas lunch and breakfast contribute approximately 40% and 30%, respectively.
In summary, dinner is the main source of sodium and saturated fat, while excessive sugar intake is most strongly associated with snacking.