. 2010 Feb;140(2):325–332. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.112763

TABLE 2.

Number of snacks consumed per day and amount and energy consumed per snacking occasion by U.S. individuals from the 1977–1978, 1989–1991, 1994–1996, and 2003–2006 surveys by age group¹

	1977–1978	1989–1991	1994–1996	2003–2006
Age 19–39 y
Snacks, n/d	1.38 ± 0.04	1.63 ± 0.08^a	1.94 ± 0.05^ab	2.22 ± 0.03^abc
Energy per snack
kJ	692 ± 15.60	877 ± 15.24^a	1097 ± 32.15^ab	1105 ± 20.60^ab
kcal	165 ± 3.73	210 ± 3.64^a	262 ± 7.68^ab	264 ± 4.92^ab
(% from food)²	(38)	(48)	(57)	(62)
Snack size
g	235 ± 4.98	290 ± 3.71^a	370 ± 9.92^ab	374 ± 9.78^ab
(% from food)³	(23)	(34)	(43)	(51)
Total energy from snacking
kJ	1689 ± 29.4	2106 ± 35.4^a	2701 ± 82.0^ab	2841 ± 56.7^ab
kcal	403 ± 7.0	503 ± 8.5^a	645 ± 19.6^ab	679 ± 13.5^ab
Age 40–59 y
Snacks, n/d	1.34 ± 0.04	1.81 ± 0.08^a	1.99 ± 0.04^a	2.35 ± 0.03^abc
Energy per snack
kJ	563 ± 14.71	698 ± 30.33^a	854 ± 18.44^ab	916 ± 20.72^ab
kcal	134 ± 3.51	167 ± 7.24^a	204 ± 4.40^ab	219 ± 4.95^ab
(% from food)²	(38)	(51)	(60)	(68)
Snack size
g/snack	212 ± 5.46	286 ± 8.38^a	322 ± 6.96^ab	354 ± 12.45^ab
(% from food)³	(22)	(33)	(43)	(54)
Total energy from snacking
kJ	1397 ± 27.5	1704 ± 103.1^a	2115 ± 37.6^ab	2398 ± 42.8^abc
kcal	334 ± 6.6	407 ± 24.6^a	505 ± 9.0^ab	573 ± 10.2^abc
Age ≥60 y
Snacks, n/d	0.93 ± 0.03	1.38 ± 0.04^a	1.65 ± 0.04^ab	2.05 ± 0.03^abc
Energy per snack
kJ	483 ± 18.16	572 ± 19.19^a	699 ± 15.29^ab	719 ± 14.74^ab
kcal	115 ± 4.34	137 ± 4.58^a	167 ± 3.65^ab	172 ± 3.52^ab
(% from food)²	(34)	(47)	(58)	(68)
Snack size
g	154 ± 5.08	189 ± 5.22^a	221 ± 4.40^ab	236 ± 6.69^ab
(% from food)³	(23)	(36)	(46)	(55)
Total energy from snacking
kJ	1163 ± 27.7	1316 ± 50.7^a	1552 ± 35.2^ab	1692 ± 36.8^abc
kcal	278 ± 6.6	314 ± 12.1^a	371 ± 8.4^ab	404 ± 8.8^abc
Age ≥19 y
Snacks, n/d	1.26 ± 0.04	1.62 ± 0.06^a	1.89 ± 0.04^ab	2.23 ± 0.02^abc
Energy per snack
kJ	604 ± 13.20	744 ± 15.40^a	918 ± 15.77^ab	946 ± 15.43^ab
kcal	144 ± 3.15	178 ± 3.68^a	219 ± 3.77^ab	226 ± 3.68^ab
(% from food)²	(37)	(49)	(58)	(66)
Snack size
g	210 ± 4.49	263 ± 2.59^a	318 ± 5.44^ab	335 ± 7.51^ab
(% from food)³	(23)	(34)	(44)	(53)
Total energy from snacking
kJ	1493 ± 21.8	1785 ± 44.5^a	2230 ± 41.5^ab	2415 ± 37.2^abc
kcal	357 ± 5.2	426 ± 10.6^a	533 ± 8.5^ab	579 ± 7.6^abc

All estimates are mean ± SE. Data were obtained from those individuals who reported any snack over a 2-d period (d1, 2, or both). ^aDifferent from 1977–1978, P < 0.01; ^bdifferent from 1989–1991, P < 0.01; ^cdifferent from 1994–1996, P < 0.01 (t test).

% Energy from food was calculated dividing the energy from foods by the total energy (food plus beverages) × 100.

% Grams from food was calculated dividing the grams from foods by the total grams (food plus beverages) × 100.