A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the average American gets 27% of their total energy from junk food and another 4% from alcoholic beverages. Even worse, as many as a third of Americans get 45% of their energy from these foods. The findings are based on interviews with more than 15,000 adults in the government's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

They defined junk food as energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods which do not belong in any of the 5 major food groups (dairy, fruit, grains, meat, and vegetables). These include:

• Visible fats (butter, margarine, oils, dressings, gravy)
• Sweeteners (sugar, syrup, candy, sweetened beverages)
• Desserts (cookies, cakes, pastries, ice cream, pudding)
• Salty snacks (potato, corn or tortilla chips)
• Miscellaneous (coffee, tea, etc.)

The researchers caution that too much junk food can replace the healthy food your body needs, making it harder to get 100% of the recommended dietary intake of vitamins and nutrients. They also pointed out that junk foods are not just those that you get from a vending machine or a fast-food restaurant; many of the foods sold in grocery stores or prepared at home or in restaurants are also in the junk food category.

Related information Lifestyle changes: Manage weight - Eating well