Nutrient Contribution of Snacking in Americans: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011‐2012

This study examined snacking patterns, nutrient contribution and intakes by snack frequency in the U.S. population. Using a 1‐day 24 hour recall from NHANES 2011‐12, frequency of snacking and associated nutrient contribution from snacks was assessed for children aged 2‐18 yr (n=2985) and adults 19+ yr (n=4878). Snacking occasions where only water was reported were excluded from the analysis. On average, children and adults reported 2.2 and 2.1 snacking occasions/d, respectively; 8.9% of children and 10.2% of adults reported no snacking occasions. Most snacking occasions occurred at home (>70%). Snacking, including foods and beverages, provided approximately one‐fourth of total daily energy intake in both children (498 kcals; 25.7%) and adults (530 kcals; 24.1%). When removing beverages, snack foods alone contributed 20% (379 kcals) of total daily energy in children, and 16% (361 kcals) of total daily energy in adults. In children and adults, snacks made a significant contribution towards total daily intake of key nutrients. For comparative purposes, these populations were classified into groups based on their snacking frequency. Total energy intakes increased with snacking frequency; children (n=555; 19%) and adults (n=667; 14%) consuming 4+ snacks/d consumed on average 19% and 43% more total energy compared to non‐snackers, respectively. However, snacking frequency was not associated with overweight/obesity in children and adults after controlling for confounding variables. These findings demonstrate that snacking plays a central role in American eating patterns and associated nutrient intakes.