Trends and Disparities in Diet Quality and Nutrient Intake among US Adults by Bodyweight Status

Abstract

The prevalence of obesity has been increasing in the US. Among the multifactorial contributors to obesity, dietary factors stand out as primary drivers. Using data from NHANES, we investigated the trends and disparities in diet quality and nutrient intake among US adults with different bodyweight statuses. Participants were divided into normal weight, overweight, and obese groups based on BMI. Diet quality was examined using HEI-2020. Nutrient intake was estimated based on the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies. From 1999 to 2020, Despite an overall improvement in diet quality among overweight and obese US adults, disparities persisted for most HEI-2020 components, and worsened for whole grains, seafood and plant proteins, and fatty acids between normal weight and obese participants. Overweight and obese participants tended to consume less energy from total carbohydrates and more from total fat. The estimated total energy intake increased among obese participants over the past two decades, while no significant changes were observed among normal weight and overweight participants. In the 2017–2020 period, obese participants had lower HEI-2020 scores than both normal weight and overweight participants. However, no significant differences in total energy intake were observed among normal weight, overweight, and obese populations.