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Background
Some studies suggest that high-fat diets or high intakes of different types of fat in the diet may be linked to several cancers, including colon, lung, and postmenopausal breast cancer, as well as heart disease and other chronic diseases.
More research is needed to better understand which types of fat should be avoided and how much of each type alters cancer risk. Although monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids have been studied for a number of years, their effects are still unclear. More recent research on the effects of trans fatty acids also has yet to reach definitive conclusions.
The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, recommend getting less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and keeping trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible for general health and the prevention of chronic disease, including cancer and heart disease. The guidelines also recommend keeping total fat intake between 20 and 35 percent of calories for adults, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.
Measure
Intakes of total fat, and of the major fatty acids - saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated - as a percentage of total calories.
Healthy People 2030 Target
- Reduce the consumption of saturated fat by persons aged 2 years and over to 8.4 percent of calories consumed.
Healthy People 2030 is a set of goals set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Note: Goals are indicated as blue line on Detailed Trend Graphs.
Data Source
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Food Surveys Research Group (Beltsville, MD). Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals 1989-1991, 1994-96, 1998
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2018.
Trends and Most Recent Estimates
Fat Intake Comparison
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Total
|
35.8 | 35.4 - 36.2 |
|
Saturated Fat
|
11.8 | 11.6 - 12.0 | |
Monounsaturated Fat
|
12.1 | 11.9 - 12.3 | |
Polyunsaturated Fat
|
8.4 | 8.2 - 8.6 | |
Total Fat Intake
By Sex
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Both Sexes
|
35.8 | 35.4 - 36.2 |
Male
|
35.6 | 35.1 - 36.2 | |
Female
|
36.0 | 35.4 - 36.5 | |
By Race/Ethnicity
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
All Races
|
35.8 | 35.4 - 36.2 |
Non-Hispanic White
|
36.6 | 36.0 - 37.2 | |
Non-Hispanic Black
|
35.8 | 35.0 - 36.7 | |
Hispanic
|
33.8 | 33.1 - 34.4 | |
By Poverty Income Level
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
<200% of Federal Poverty Level
|
34.8 | 34.4 - 35.2 |
>=200% of Federal Poverty Level
|
36.4 | 35.9 - 37.0 | |
Saturated Fat Intake
By Sex
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Both Sexes
|
11.8 | 11.6 - 12.0 |
Male
|
11.8 | 11.6 - 12.0 | |
Female
|
11.8 | 11.6 - 12.1 | |
By Race/Ethnicity
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
All Races
|
11.8 | 11.6 - 12.0 |
Non-Hispanic White
|
12.3 | 12.0 - 12.6 | |
Non-Hispanic Black
|
11.2 | 10.9 - 11.6 | |
Hispanic
|
10.9 | 10.6 - 11.1 | |
By Poverty Income Level
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
<200% of Federal Poverty Level
|
11.4 | 11.0 - 11.7 |
>=200% of Federal Poverty Level
|
12.1 | 11.9 - 12.3 | |
Monosaturated Fat Intake
By Sex
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Both Sexes
|
12.1 | 11.9 - 12.3 |
Male
|
12.1 | 11.8 - 12.3 | |
Female
|
12.1 | 11.8 - 12.3 | |
By Race/Ethnicity
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
All Races
|
12.1 | 11.9 - 12.3 |
Non-Hispanic White
|
12.3 | 12.1 - 12.6 | |
Non-Hispanic Black
|
12.2 | 11.9 - 12.5 | |
Hispanic
|
11.3 | 11.0 - 11.6 | |
By Poverty Income Level
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
<200% of Federal Poverty Level
|
11.7 | 11.5 - 11.9 |
>=200% of Federal Poverty Level
|
12.3 | 12.1 - 12.6 | |
Polyunsaturated Fat Intake
By Sex
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
Both Sexes
|
8.4 | 8.2 - 8.6 |
Male
|
8.2 | 7.9 - 8.5 | |
Female
|
8.5 | 8.3 - 8.8 | |
By Race/Ethnicity
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
All Races
|
8.4 | 8.2 - 8.6 |
Non-Hispanic White
|
8.4 | 8.1 - 8.7 | |
Non-Hispanic Black
|
8.9 | 8.7 - 9.2 | |
Hispanic
|
8.0 | 7.8 - 8.2 | |
By Poverty Income Level
| Overview Graph | Detailed Trend Graphs | Most Recent Estimates (2017 to 2018) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of total calories | 95% Confidence Interval | ||
|
<200% of Federal Poverty Level
|
8.2 | 8.0 - 8.5 |
>=200% of Federal Poverty Level
|
8.4 | 8.2 - 8.7 | |
Evidence-based Resources
Resources are available on diet and nutrition on the Cancer Control P.L.A.N.E.T. web portal. Identify population-based evidence-based approaches on healthy eating and locate multiple evidence-based interventions.
Additional Information on Fat Consumption
- Chartbook on Healthy Living. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
- ACS Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention. American Cancer Society.
- Diet and Physical Activity: What’s the Cancer Connection? American Cancer Society.
- Cancer Prevention and Control: Healthy Choices. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- What We Eat in America. U.S. Department of Agriculture.
- Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Professionals Gateway.
- American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention. Rock CL, Thomson C, Gansler T, et al. CA Cancer J Clin. 2020; 70(4): 245-271.
- 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Continuous Update Project. World Cancer Research Fund International.
- Diet, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Cancer: a Global Perspective. World Cancer Research Fund, and the American Institute for Cancer Research.
- Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. World Health Organization. 2003.
- Usual Dietary Intakes: Food Intakes, U.S. Population, 2007–10. National Cancer Institute.
- What We Eat in America. U.S. Department of Agriculture.