Title: How Much Time Do Americans Spend Eating? | USDA
Headings: How Much Time Do Americans Spend Eating?
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How Much Time Do Americans Spend Eating?
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morella DeRosa
Abe Schreier
Mark Douglas
Abe Schreier
Karen Hamrick
Karen Hamrick
Karen Hamrick

Content: This secondary eating and drinking most commonly occurred while people were watching television, followed by engaging in paid work. Other frequently reported primary activities while eating or drinking were preparing meals, cleaning up afterwards, and grooming (such as getting dressed). Although eating while engaged in another activity may be perceived as a bad health habit, not all secondary eating was associated with negative health outcomes. Those who ate or drank while working, driving, preparing meals/cleaning up, or grooming had an average body mass index (BMI) at or below the U.S. average, while those who ate or drank while watching television had a higher than average BMI. Nonetheless, the association between secondary eating/drinking and BMI doesn’t prove cause and effect. It may not be the multitasking aspect of eating that affects health, but rather the specific patterns of eating, other activities, and food choices. The ERS and National Cancer Institute survey supplement also included queries about time spent grocery shopping and preparing meals, and whether respondents received SNAP assistance (formerly known as food stamps) or school-provided meals. All of these responses provide a rich data source for researchers to investigate Americans’ eating patterns. More information can be found in our report, How Much Time Do Americans Spend on Food? and at http://ers.usda.gov/Data/ATUS/
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