Calories, fat and cholesterol: intake patterns in the US population by race, sex and age.

Nutrient intakes were investigated for Blacks and Whites using data from the NHANES II survey (1976-80). Intake of energy, total fat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, P/S ratio, and per cent of calories derived from total and saturated fat are examined by sex and age, both in absolute terms and per unit of body weight. For most age and sex categories, Blacks are found to have a lower intake of energy and fats than Whites; however, Blacks have a consistently higher intake of dietary cholesterol. The ratio of polyunsaturated fats to saturated fats is higher in females than in males, but all age-sex groups are substantially below recommended levels. Per cent of calories from total and saturated fat are similar in most age-sex groups. Possible explanations of the observed patterns include activity level and metabolic differences.