Wang L, Steele EM, Du M, et al. - According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles from 1999 to 2018, the estimated proportion of energy intake from ultraprocessed foods has increased and has consistently comprised the majority of their total energy intake among youths in the United States.

• The dietary intake of teenagers was studied.

• The projected proportion of total energy from ultraprocessed foods climbed from 61.4% to 67.0% between 1999 and 2018, whereas the percentage of total energy from unprocessed or slightly processed foods declined from 28.8% to 23.5%.

• Among ultraprocessed food subgroups, the estimated percentage of energy from ready-to-heat and -eat mixed dishes increased from 2.2% to 11.2%, and the estimated percentage of energy from sweet snacks and sweets increased from 10.7% to 12.9%, but the estimated percentage of energy from sugar-sweetened beverages decreased from 10.8% to 5.3% and for processed fats and oils, condiments, and sauces from 7.1% to 4.0%.

• The estimated percentage of energy from ultraprocessed food consumption increased significantly more among non-Hispanic Black and Mexican American youths than among non-Hispanic White youths.