TOTAL-ENERGY INTAKE OF THE US POPULATION - THE 3RD NATIONAL-HEALTH AND NUTRITION EXAMINATION SURVEY, 1988-1991

The third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III ) was conducted to assess the health and nutritional status of the US population. As part of the nutritional status assessment, reliable 24- h dietary recalls were collected for 14 801 examined persons. Mean (+/ - SEM) energy intakes are reported for persons aged greater than or eq ual to 2 mo by age, sex, and race-ethnicity. Males had higher mean ene rgy intakes than did females. Energy intakes peaked during late adoles cence and young adulthood and declined thereafter. Energy intake patte rns were similar among non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and M exican Americans. Underreporting was addressed by computing a ratio of energy intake (EI) to estimated basal metabolic rate (BMR(est)). This ratio (EI:BMR(est)) was 1.47 for adult males and 1.26 for nonpregnant adult females. Overweight adults had a lower mean EI: BMR(est) (1.09 in females and 1.28 in males). Underreporting in food consumption surv eys remains problematic among females and overweight persons.