How Americans eat and drink in 2025: Federal data reveals persistent gaps in diet quality

A scientific report from the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee paints a sobering picture of how Americans eat and drink—and how deeply those habits are shaped by factors like income, education, and access. The analysis, based on nationally representative federal data, shows that most U.S. diets fall short of nutrition recommendations, with implications for both chronic disease and health equity.

Diet Quality Still Misaligned with National Guidelines

Using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) to evaluate how closely Americans’ diets align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, the Committee found that:

• Americans ages 2 and older average just 56 out of 100
• Toddlers (12–23 months) score slightly better, at 63

These figures reflect persistent shortfalls in nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, and excessive intake of added sugars and sodium. The Committee states:

“Among individuals ages 1 year and older, dietary intake patterns… fail to align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 in the life stages or sociodemographic groups examined.”

Food Patterns by Life Stage

Infants and Toddlers (0–23 months):

Although 84% of newborns begin life on human milk, only 25% are exclusively breastfed through six months, far below public health goals. Among toddlers, fruit intake is relatively strong, but few other dietary components come close to target levels.

Children and Adolescents (2–18 years):

Diet quality declines steadily with age. Teen boys fare worst (HEI score: 48), while young girls (ages 2–4) perform best (score: 59). Non-Hispanic Asian youth generally have higher scores than their peers. No subgroup comes close to fully meeting dietary goals.

Adults (19+ years):

Older adults (60+) tend to eat better than younger adults, with scores ranging from 58 to 61. Non-Hispanic Asian adults score highest (64). Protein intake is the only category where most adult groups approach ideal targets.

Pregnant and Lactating Adults (20–44 years):

These individuals tend to eat more healthfully than their non-pregnant peers, especially when it comes to protein and whole fruits. However, their overall diets still fall short of guidelines.

Beverage Patterns: Improvements with Room to Grow

Across all age groups, water is the most consumed beverage by volume, but sugary drinks remain a major source of added sugars—particularly for children, teens, and young adults.

“Sugar-sweetened beverages are the top food category contributor to added sugars intake,” the Committee noted.

• Among toddlers, beverages account for 30% of daily energy intake—much of it from whole milk and sugar-sweetened drinks.
• Among children and teens, sugary drinks provide 43% of total added sugars, with consumption increasing dramatically with age.
• Among adults, sugary beverages and alcohol are major contributors to empty calories. Men consume more alcohol (31% of beverage calories), while women consume more coffee and tea (27%).

While consumption of water has increased over the past decade, intake of milk, juice, and sweetened beverages has declined—contributing to a drop in nutrient intake from beverages, especially vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin C.

Nutrition and Equity: More Than Just Personal Choice

The Committee stresses that dietary choices are shaped by more than personal preference. Social determinants—including income, education, race, and structural inequities—profoundly influence what people eat and drink. These factors limit access to healthy foods and nutrition education, and contribute to persistent disparities across demographic groups.

Importantly, the report avoids attributing dietary outcomes to race or ethnicity directly. Instead, it acknowledges that the data capture broad patterns—not the complex lived experiences or structural realities that shape them.

“Although federal data sources describe dietary intakes and patterns of defined sociodemographic groups, they do not capture the intersectionality and multidimensionality of the individuals within those groups.”

The Bottom Line

Despite decades of public health efforts, most Americans are still not meeting dietary recommendations—and the disparities are most pronounced among younger populations and those affected by structural barriers. While beverage habits are improving, added sugars remain high. These findings will help inform the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, but they also underscore a broader challenge: improving public health means addressing not just what we eat, but the conditions that shape our choices.