Fast food consumption is tightly linked to adverse longevity outcomes including increased risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, mental health issues, and premature death. The risks of frequent fast food consumption have been known for quite some time, yet our data suggest that Americans have largely failed to reduce their fast food consumption between 2007 and 2017. About a quarter of young and middle-aged Americans (ages 25-54) eat fast food three or more times a week, and although rates are lower among older Americans, they are on the rise.
As can be expected, highly educated people (college plus) are the least likely to eat fast food excessively. However, excessive fast food consumption rates are similar among people with some college, high school diplomas, and those who did not graduate from high school. At the same time, and somewhat surprisingly, income is not strongly associated with excessive fast food consumption. In fact, Americans who report the lowest income are less likely to eat fast food three or more times a week across almost all age groups.
Percent of Americans Eating 3+ Fast Food Meals Per Week
Definition:
Individual responses to the question “How many of those meals did you get from a fast-food or pizza place?” to capture those who ate three or more of these meals.
Example:
A person who regularly eats at restaurants that are not fast food or pizza places will not be considered counted as consuming fast foods excessively.